We Dream of Our Escape
by AfriKat
Summary: Sequel to "A World Long Lost to Humankind" (which must be read before reading this). Isobel has become settled in the Central Park Zoo, but she longs for adventure and answers to her past, and so she must look to her newly found friends for help.
1. Chapter 1

**So here is the sequel. :D Slow beginning, yes, but a lot more will happen as the story progresses. As usual, reviews are appreciated! **

Chapter 1: Paranoid

The late afternoon October sky was filled with puffy clouds. A breeze shifted the autumn leaves and scattered them towards the lemur habitat.

"Honestly, Jack, you can leave. I'm fine!" Isobel insisted. She was sitting against a palm tree, tossing a little pebble between her hands, and trying to teach Mort how to count with playing cards. He was sitting in front of a red four of spades and an ace.

"Are you sure?" Jack asked her. He had become a little paranoid with her health after the incident in Atlantis. "Your left pupil is bigger than your right pupil –"

Isobel laughed and threw her pebble at him. He dodged it and smiled. "Alright, alright, I'll go."

"It's two, right?" Mort finally looked up at Isobel.

"No, Mort, remember?" Isobel shook her head. "Look, this is four. And you have another right here. What comes after four?"

"Uhh.." Mort thought hard, looking around. "…Five?"

"Yes!" Isobel was elated. "That's your second one right."

"Out of how many?" Jack looked over, a slight smirk on his face.

Isobel sighed. "Seventeen. It's progress."

Jack laughed and Mort asked if he could go play on the bouncy. Isobel nodded her approval and he scurried away. She began to stand up, and Jack quivered, reaching out for her.

"I'm fine." Isobel shot him a look. "It's been two weeks already."

"You're my sister." Jack reminded her. "I could have lost you in an instant. I'm always going to worry when you get hurt."

Isobel thought deeply, and suddenly her ears pricked forward. "That's why, isn't it?"

"What?" Jack was confused.

"That's why Clopar always made sure I was alright." Isobel said quietly. "I had to be in perfect condition as a ransom."

"I know." Jack nodded solemnly. "But don't worry about that anymore. He was banished, and will be forgotten soon. He could have possibly been killed already."

"Perhaps." Isobel replied.

Jack sighed. "Well, I should go. You know, finding a new crew."

"Good luck." Isobel smiled as he left. She then sighed and looked about her enclosure. Julien and Maurice were on a walk about the zoo, the penguins were busy with a "top secret mission" for the day, and Marlene had unfortunately come down with a cold. The transition from sunny California to a quickly changing New York City had been harsh.

Isobel knew there wasn't much to do, as she had to watch Mort. She wouldn't have minded going to see Joey or the chimps, or even going to the reptile house. Actually, the reptile house was a good idea.

"Mort!" Isobel called to the little lemur, unconsciously twisting one of her hoop earrings. "Want to go to look at the reptiles with me?"

Mort slowed down his bouncing. "Ooo, I like the reptiles!"


	2. One Part Missing

**Thank you, treemist ^_^ And moonandvenus, I'm not really sure what you're referring to. **

Chapter 2: One Part Missing

"I still can't believe it." Maurice shook his head as he spoke to his king on their walk. "Clopar really tried to kidnap her?"

Julien nodded his head. "I know, Maurice, such craziness. If only I had been awake when she was."

"Don't be hard on yourself." Maurice told him. "You didn't know. None of us did."

"This is true." Julien agreed as he straightened up.

Maurice then smiled. "I'll never forget the look on Mort's face when you came back with Isobel."

Julien laughed himself. He remembered it well: He had carried Isobel back all the way, for she had been too weak to walk. And when Mort saw them, he had said something about Isobel looking as limp as a noodle. But he had stayed by Isobel's side day and night until she was better. It was only a few days, but Mort was completely concerned. And within those few days of recovery, Isobel had laid in her favorite spot; on Julien's throne.

"So, hey, what're we doing tonight?" Maurice asked. "It is Saturday. Everyone is already gone and nobody comes to the zoo tomorrow."

Julien shrugged his shoulders. "Not sure. I think we were doing something with the penguins though."

Maurice nodded. "It's weird hanging out with the penguins. I mean, it's cool, just not used to it."

"Isobel is friends with them too, you see, Maurice." Julien explained. "She is bringing us together."

? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ?

It was very humid inside of the reptile house. It did not bother Isobel in the least, but Mort had grown accustomed to the dry heat of New York and was getting hot. He had looked at everything from the slender green anoles to the color changing chameleons.

"Can we go home now?" Mort asked.

"Alright, let's go back." Isobel decided.

On their way out, she had an uneasy feeling. Her heart pounded, but she figured it was just anxiety from her previous experience, and so she brushed it off. She kept Mort close beside her as they walked back.

? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ?

"And one, two, right kick! Left wing out, side sweep!" Skipper was putting his team through exercises on their cement platform.

"Skipper," Private said between moves, "I'm certainly glad Isobel is better."

Skipper agreed. "We all are, Private." It had scared him half to death that they had nearly lost her. He had felt –

"Skipper." Kowalski interrupted his thoughts. "Are we still getting together with the lemurs tonight?"

"I don't see why not." Skipper replied, dipping into a warrior's pose. "We should be done training by then."

? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ?

Mort sat in the long shade of a palm tree as he happily gnawed on a mango. The sun was fading fast. Julien and Maurice were back, sitting on the cool grass with Isobel. They were talking about anything, occasionally laughing as they passed time before meeting up with the penguins.

Isobel leaned back on her hands and tilted her head towards the sky, searching for the first star of the night that hid stealthily between exquisite bluish clouds. Julien watched her, and knew that a piece of her was missing. But he also knew that she would be back.


	3. Rats Unwelcomed

Chapter 3: Rats Unwelcomed

Night came in a fury, bringing with it a full moon. It washed over the whole zoo, and caught Isobel's emerald eyes. All of the lemurs and the penguins were together, walking about the lit zoo. They were chattering and laughing, for once. Both Julien and Skipper felt strange about this, but everyone else was having a good time. Isobel kept rotating her ears this way and that, her sensitive hearing picking up small noises the others could not hear. But then there was a noise that even the penguins heard. Everyone's heads whipped around behind them, but there was no one there. Slowly, they turned back around and continued their walk, this time silent and cautious.

"Is there something out there?" Private asked quietly.

"Don't know." Skipper whispered. But I smell a rat?"

"Sewer rats?" Private brought his flippers up to his beak.

"The common brown rat is native to, well, anywhere there is garbage." Kowalski added in.

"Rico, is it rats?" Skipper leaned in close to him.

Rico threw his head back and sniffed wildly. Then he growled, and Isobel was shaking her head in disgust.

"I smell this too." She said.

Rico nodded his head, and looked back at something in the distance. He stopped in his tracks to turn around, and everyone else did the same.

"Hey, birds!" The rat king shouted from down the pavement.

"Oh no." Julien groaned and Maurice brought Mort close to his side.

"What?" Isobel asked, her eyes bright.

"It's the rat king!" Private whisper-shouted to her.

"Just stand behind us." Skipper told her. Then he called louder to the rats who were fast approaching. "What do you want?"

The rat king and his three minions came up to them, a wicked smile on his face. "I thought this zoo was good about greeting old friends."

"Depends on the friend." Skipper replied, eyeing him warily.

"Well, we're especially good friends." The rat king replied, looking down at his minions. "Right, boys?"

"Right!" The trio said in unison.

"Yeah, right!" Skipper narrowed his eyes. "Why don't you go back to that dump you call home? We aren't interested in dealing with you tonight."

Rat ignored him. "It looks like you guys are going on a walk. I'm sure you wouldn't mind if we joined you."

Isobel could only see glimpses of him as she crouched behind the penguins and Julien, but the flow of his words reminded her of Clopar.

Rat glanced over the penguins and noticed Isobel. He raised an eyebrow and looked to Julien. "I see there is another one of you."

"Yeah, and what is to you?" Julien flattened his ears.

"Well are you going to introduce me or are we going to stay strangers?" Rat smiled. His snaggle-teeth clearly visible.

"I can introduce myself." Isobel said as she stepped out of her protective shield of friends.

Rat raised his eyebrows. "And I see the zoo has made some improvements."

Isobel rolled her eyes, and crinkled her nose a bit at his stench. "Never have I met a king who has made the sewer his Buckingham."

Private and Kowalski snickered together.

Rat chuckled, looking at his claws. "Sense of humor, huh?"

"Sarcasm." Isobel replied dryly.

Rat looked around. "Say, why don't you come hang out with us?"

Isobel laughed like he had just told a joke. "In your dreams, Rat."

**As always, reviews are much appreciated. :) Thanks for reading! **


	4. Bow & Arrows

**Thank you, treemist! :) **

Chapter 4: Bow & Arrows

Rat looked genuinely confused. "I'm just saying, it'd be way cooler than hanging out with these bozos."

Naturally, everyone took offense to that and immediately started yelling at Rat.

He glared down at all of them. "Hey, shut up, I wasn't even talking to you!"

Now Isobel stepped in front of her friends, baring her fangs as a snarl escaped her lips, defending them.

Rat's eyes widened in fear, holding his paws up. "Whoa, hey now." He began backing away. "We don't want any trouble."

"Leave then!" Isobel shouted to him. "You should not have come. Go!"

"We will then!" Rat called as he and his gang scurried off back to the sewers.

Isobel sighed, shaking her head as she relaxed again.

"Bravo!" Skipper said, impressed.

"Actually, it would be _brava._" Kowalski corrected him.

"Same difference!" Skipper rolled his eyes. "You really had them going, Isobel."

Isobel smiled and shrugged. "You saved me once and I didn't want more trouble for us."

Private smiled a small smile as he walked up to her. "I'm sorry our walk wasn't as relaxing as it should have been. You've been so stressed!"

Isobel nodded, her smile fading and then brightening again. "It can still be good Private. Come, let's walk so I can tell you more of my past."

They all continued their walk in the opposite direction the rats had run. Julien stayed close by Isobel's side, Mort trailing near her heels as he trotted to keep up with everyone else's normal walking steps.

"It feels as though my grandmother, the Ta'li one, is trying to tell me something, in my heart." Isobel finally spoke up. "It's so strange. But each day she shows more in me. I know all of you have sensed my differences," she glanced at Julien, "and I'm sorry if I've been…odd, but it is because of these feelings pushing me this way and that. I have been very confused with what she wants me to do."

Skipper nodded. He traded places with Private so he could walk next to her. "Is there anything we can do to help you with all of this…sorting out?"

Isobel thought about it. "Have you ever tried archery?"

Skipper shook his head. "No, we never had a use for it. I much prefer hand to hand combat! But is that what would help you?"

Isobel smiled. "Yes, greatly. I have not practiced since I was a young girl. I would love to start again."

"Perfecto!" Skipper said. "But I'm not sure where we could get a bow and arrows-"

"All I need is the wood, some cord, and chipping rocks." Isobel cut in, excited. "I know how to make all of it."

"Will do." Skipper nodded, and then spoke to his team. "Men, we are about to undergo Operation: Ta'li. Commence Phase One!"

:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:

The penguins had expertly retrieved the supplies Isobel requested that night. Most of that night, and all of the next day, Isobel spent her time carving out the bow. Late into that night, Isobel was quickly sharpening the flint for her arrowheads. The penguins could not find obsidian, so this would suffice. Some of the exotic birds at the zoo had even offered her some of their lovely feathers, and she attached these to her arrows. Isobel had built a little fire so she had light to work by. Her newly carved bow lay against the throne. Julien had decided to stay awake with her. He watched as she made quick, jabbing

motions at the flint with her chipping rock. There was a new part of her that shone with the fire, and it was strange and beautiful in its own way; this was only to grow in the coming year.

"I would have never guessed you were a warrior." Julien spoke up.

Isobel stopped her work. "I know, it's odd. I did not even realize it myself. But when I do something like this, all of my blood sings, and everything seems all right. It's as though I belong."

And, for a moment, time stopped, and she gazed intently into the starry night, the fire illuminating her.

**Thanks for reading! I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving! :) **


	5. Archery in the Morning

Chapter 5: Archery in the Morning

As Julien watched her, he understood how much she needed her homeland. How much it needed her. But he also knew that it would break her heart to leave here, and so whatever she decided, that was the way it would go.

:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:

An arrow flew through the morning air and sliced through the bark of a tree. Isobel relaxed her arm and let her bow face parallel to the ground as she smiled at her excellent shot. Her arrow was stuck high on a tree trunk about fifty feet away.

"Impressive." Skipper remarked. It was just the penguins and Isobel out in the park. They had come out at about six that morning, and it was now about ten. It was Sunday, and so the zoo was closed. "But could you hit that red leaf?"

He was pointing to a red leaf tangled in between the branches of two trees about sixty-five feet away.

Isobel raised an eyebrow and smiled at him. "Perhaps. But could you Skipper?"

Skipper looked at her as she gestured to him with her bow.

"I'm up for a challenge." He took the bow from her and she handed him an arrow with a blue feather attached to it.

"Would you like me to show you what to do?" Isobel asked.

"No, I'm a visual learner, you see." Skipper said smugly as he tested the bow's string. "I know what I'm doing."

Isobel smiled and rolled her eyes as she went to stand with the other penguins. "We will see."

"You can do it, Skippa!" Private shouted, clapping.

Skipper nocked the arrow and raised the bow.

Isobel watched intently, noting all of his mistakes, such as his posture and the way he was holding the bow and how he did not pull back the arrow far enough. But because of his cockiness, she said nothing.

Skipper closed one eye (another mistake) and aimed. He let the arrow fly, and it dipped far below the red leaf.

The other penguins all quietly said, "Oooh…"

Isobel clapped slowly. "Well done, Skipper."

Skipper blushed. "I guess, well…You can show me the right way."

Isobel smiled and walked over to him. She had two arrows left. She gave one to him and told him to nock it.

"Now, stand as straight as possible, one foot a little ahead of the other." She stood beside him, going through all the motions as well. "Take a deep breath, puff out your chest. Pull the string back to your chin. No, leave both eyes open. And lift your elbow." She carefully placed her paw under his flipper to place it where it needed to be. "Let go."

Within the split second of an exhale, the red leaf was now pinned to the ground, Skipper's arrow poking through it.

The penguins cheered, and Skipper looked in amazement at Isobel. She smiled warmly at him. He smiled back, and she took a step back.

"You see now?" She asked.

"Yeah." Skipper nodded, giving her the bow. "Thanks for teaching me."

"We will have to trade skills one day." Isobel suggested, her smile lingering.

Skipper nodded, folding his flippers behind his back.

The other penguins approached them.

"That must have been a forty-five degree angle, Skipper!" Kowalski complimented him.

Private clapped. "That was so cool!"

Rico bobbed his head up and down. He was enjoying all of this practicing with new weapons.

An unexpected icy gust of wind blew past them. Isobel shivered, but the penguins were completely unfazed.

"You know, winters here are crazy cold." Skipper told Isobel, noticing her discomfort.

Isobel nodded. "I can imagine, if it snows. I am used to tropical weather."

"What's that like?" Private asked curiously.

Isobel's eyes glimmered and she smiled with her memories in mind. "Very warm, and humid. But near the coast, there is a cool breeze. It is lovely. Of course, these are good days. Some days, it is just white heat. It feels like salt in your lungs."

"Jeez." Skipper said. "Kowalski, what kind of region holds that temperature?"

Kowalski flipped through his notebook. "Costa Rica, the Congo, and certainly Madagascar. Anywhere near the equator, really."

Isobel nodded, prepared to share another piece of herself with them. "That is where my people are from…Where I am from. Madagascar. We are hidden there."

The penguins all looked at her quizzically.

"But your accent doesn't sound anything like Julien's." Private remarked.

"Yes." Kowalski agreed. "And it isn't because of the Atlantean influence. You only had hints of the king's accent."

Isobel looked at the ground, and when she looked back up, she smiled weakly. "I know."

Skipper opened his beak to say something, but suddenly Isobel's eyes went wide and motioned for them to move out of the way. She had nocked an arrow and sent it flying into the trees only a second after they moved. Whatever her target had been, it screamed and rushed from out of the trees.


	6. A Brief History Lesson

Chapter 6: A Brief History Lesson

It was Marlene! Everyone gasped.

"Marlene!" Skipper shouted. "What are you-", concern began creeping into his voice, "Oh no."

Why had she come out to the park? They could see the wild gleam beginning to start in her eyes, but they could also see that she was trying to fight it.

"The zoo – ach! – go back! A-all-alice is doing a random search." She warned them, trying to hold back the wildness. "She knows you're gone."

"She'll send a search party!" Private said worriedly.

Isobel grabbed Marlene's paw as they all ran back.

:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:

"I've never lost a zoo animal! Let alone five." Alice yelled into her walkie talkie as she argued with another worker.

Isobel vaulted the wall and Marlene, now safe from the park, scurried back to her habitat. The penguins quickly dove into their water.

When Alice checked again, she discovered her five not-so-lost animals had reappeared.

After she passed by, Isobel breathed a sigh of relief. Then she realized her arrows were still in the park, but she had managed to bring back her bow. She could get them later.

Julien gave her a cross look. "You are nuts, you know that? She would have sent you back to that other nut called a vet and-"

"Julien," Isobel said, a small smile (mostly of relief) on her face, "You worry too much. I was with the penguins, I would have been fine. And like you said before, Alice is crazy, the other workers wouldn't believe her."

"Whatever." Julien crossed his arms. "You are too stubborn-y."

Isobel stood up, still smiling. "I have to go apologize to Marlene for shooting at her. And you're too bossy."

Julien just rolled his eyes, but then realization hit and he stopped in his tracks. "Wait, what? _What?_"

"It was an accident!" Isobel said as she scaled the wall. "I thought it was…someone else."

:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:

"Oh, that's alright." Marlene said once Isobel got there and apologized. "I don't blame. Not after what happened, at least." She had a cold washcloth on her head.

Isobel nodded. "Can I get you anything?"

"Lemonade would be great." Marlene said weakly. She had a big headache after the rapid transforming from the park.

Isobel poured her a glass from the pitcher and handed it to her.

"What was your nana's name?" Marlene asked.

Isobel's eyes widened slightly. It was a sudden question, but certainly one she was willing to answer. "My grandmother's name was Nefertiri. She was my mother's mother. I don't know much about my father's mother, though. Just grandmother Nefertiri."

Marlene nodded. "What a beautiful name. How did you get Isobel? I mean, not that I don't like your name, it's just-"

Isobel nodded with a small laugh. "I know. It doesn't sound nearly as exotic. My mother wanted to go with a name more rooted in Madagascar itself, and not necessarily just our culture. She wanted me to be worldly, for some reason. I suppose that message was relayed to the king of Atlantis, because I learned French the moment I arrived there. You see, Madagascar was once a French colony. And Isobel was a name with French roots that she liked. And…Hmm. Julien is a French name, you see. And he is the thirteenth one. Thirteen 'Juliens' ago, the French were still ruling. So there you go."

Marlene nodded, feeling informed by the short history lesson. "I gotcha. I just got my name from my nana."

Isobel smiled. "I have never met someone with the name of Marlene. It is feminine. I like it."

Marlene smiled. "Thanks."

Isobel's ears twitched, remembering that her arrows were still in the park. And she also had an uneasy feeling, like someone was messing with them. "_Zut alors_! You see, here comes the French." Isobel rolled her eyes, standing up to leave. "It is not even my second language, it is my third, and yet I still often think in it."

"Third?" Marlene sat up. "Holy cow, what else do you know?"

"My native language, which is a complicated mix, Atlantean, English, of course, and then there are bits and pieces here and there." Isobel explained quickly, her mysterious accent beginning to thicken as her mind clouded with all of these language. "I'm sorry, but I have to go."

She made her way to the park, and when she was back in the place she and the penguins had been, she saw a squirrel using her arrows to pick his teeth. This made her mad enough to forget English altogether.

She began shouting in her native language, and then quickly stopping, starting up again in French, and then finally in English. "Ah, _désolé, _I mean, put that down!" She was shaking her head at herself but was looking daggers at the squirrel.

"Huh?" Fred the squirrel looked around, completely confused.

He turned his head down from the tree he was perched in and saw Isobel's angry green eyes, her hands on her hips.

**Ahhhhh I had to delete this chapter so I could edit it. :P I left out 'arrows' after "Isobel's ears twitched, remembering..." which would have made that sentence very confusing. Sorry about that.**


	7. Arabic

Chapter 7: Arabic

Fred jumped down to the ground to get a better look at Isobel. "Hello."

"Hello." Isobel looked annoyed. "May I have my arrows back please?"

"Is that what this is?" Fred held up the arrow.

"Yes." Isobel took it from him and then went to pick up the other two on the ground; the one from Skipper's shot and the one that had been accidently shot at Marlene.

"I've never seen you before," Fred said. "Did you shoot all of these…arrows?"

"Most of them." Isobel replied as she climbed up the tree to retrieve the two she had shot as practice earlier.

"I have a friend named Archie." Fred told her. "He knows that bow and arrow thing too."

"That's great." Isobel wasn't paying much attention as she twisted her arrow from the bark. She jumped down and looked at Fred. "I have to go back now. Goodbye."

"Good day." Fred waved as she left. "I wonder who that was." He said to himself before shrugging and going back to looking for acorns.

On her way back, Isobel tried to shake off her clouded head. Her words were still jumbled in her head. She had an idea that singing a song from her childhood would help to clear things up. It was a song her mother often sang in their native language, which was a mix of mainly Arabic. Before the French came to the island, Arabs and other Middle Easterners ventured to Madagascar for trade purposes, and left behind a few of their cultural customs, but mostly their language. Isobel thought she was the only one who could hear it, but as the words began rushing back, she sang louder. It carried itself nearly halfway through the zoo once she was inside of its gates. All of the animals listened, for although they couldn't understand a word of it, they could all agree that it was beautiful. The penguins paused in their exercise routines on their faux ice floe. They knew exactly who it was. Julien ceased his chat with Maurice, and even Mort stopped his cartwheels.

"It is so pretty, what is it?" He asked curiously.

"Indeed, Mort, who is having the voice which is even better than Beyoncé's?" Julien agreed, leaning forward on his throne.

They realized the voice was getting closer, and then suddenly it tapered off. Then Isobel jumped over the wall. They understood immediately.

"I think it was Isobel, your majesty." Maurice said quietly.

"Well, obviously." Julien didn't even look to his advisor.

Isobel came up to her friends, noticing the astonished looks on their faces.

"What?" Her eyes gleamed with her smile.

Julien was a bit lost for words. "Nothing, only-"

"That was the greatest singing ever!" Mort applauded for her. "Except for King Julien's."

Isobel laughed as she tied her arrows together to place beside her bow. "I'll take that as a compliment." Then she smiled as Julien, who jumped down from his throne to join her on the grass.

"Yes, I am completely agreeing with Mort. For once." Julien smiled back at her. "So, there is still a whole afternoon left. What should we be doing?"

"Ooh, I know!" Mort jumped up and down. "Let's play hide-and-seek!"

"Hush, Mort!" Julien looked sternly at him. "Isobel gets to decide."

Isobel smiled at Mort. "We can do that. I haven't played in so long."

Isobel was it. Everyone went to run and hide while she covered her eyes and counted. She was standing near a palm tree, which was base. She got to forty and then called out the familiar phrase, "Ready or not, here I come!"

Mort quickly scampered behind a rock. Isobel pretended not to see him, circling about a couple of times before darting behind the rock and tickling Mort, which sent him into a flurry of giggles.

When he had calmed down, Isobel quietly said to him, "Help me find Maurice."

They crept about, Mort bouncing ahead of Isobel. He jumped into a bush. "Oooh, Maurice, you are so found!"

Maurice came out. "Wow, Mort, thanks for blowing my cover."

Mort smiled innocently at him.

Isobel looked back to the palm tree, surprised that Julien had not tried to run to base yet. Then she looked up at the other palm tree in their enclosure. Julien was up at the top, looking to see if the coast was clear. He didn't see Isobel race over to him when he began quietly scaling down the trunk. When he looked down to see how much farther he had to go, he saw Isobel's emerald eyes sparkling at him from the other side of the trunk. She had been climbing up.

"Tag." She said with a smile as she touched his paw. "You're it."

**Author's notes: The song Isobel was singing was a song that I picked from the "Kingdom of Heaven" movie soundtrack called "Light of Life". All of the lyrics are in Arabic, but you can look it up if you want to know what it sounds like. :D**


	8. A Warning Shot

Chapter 8: A Warning Shot

This surprised Julien, and he fell back onto the ground. Isobel gasped and jumped down.

"Are you all right?"

Julien sat up. "I am fine, it was like five feet." Then remembered that Isobel had tagged him 'it'. "But I am demanding a rematch!"

Isobel smiled and shrugged. "Sure. You're it anyway."

Julien 'harrumph'-ed and covered his eyes as he began counting to forty as well.

Everyone went running, silent as they could. Isobel jumped into the shrub she had hid in on the first day she had seen the people.

"Ready, I think you are not, here I come!" Julien called as he began searching.

He managed to find Maurice. "A-ha! I found you, you sneaky little monkey."

Maurice shrugged. "I guess I am just not good at this game anymore."

While Julien's back was turned, Isobel peeked out of the leaves and stealthily made her way to base.

"Base!" She called when she touched the palm's trunk.

Julien spun around. "Wha? How?!"

And while he was looking at Isobel, Mort scampered out from behind him and tagged the base as well. "King Julien, look, I am safe!"

Julien rolled his eyes. "But now Maurice is it!

And so they played a few more rounds, extending well into the evening. Off in the distance, in a tree in the park, three pairs of eyes were watching them.

"I don't get it." Rat said to his little posse. "How can that be fun if no one is fatally injured?"

"Dunno." The little rats shrugged.

One extra head popped up next to the rat king. "What're we having a look at?" It was Jack.

All of the rats screamed. Then Rat realized it was a lemur.

"Oh look, boys, a scrawny outsider against three of us." A malicious smile crossed his face.

"Really, I'm not looking for any trouble, I just need to get past you and into the zoo." Jack said calmly.

Rat laughed. "I don't think that can be arranged."

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Isobel was perched in a palm tree while Mort attempted to count forty, as he was now it. The sun was quickly dipping below the horizon. Her ears twitched, and she looked off towards the park. Instantly, she knew. "Oh, no."

She scaled down the tree and ended the game. She grabbed her bow and quiver of arrows.

"Stay here!" She called before vaulting the wall.

But Julien would not listen to her this time, and he followed.

When Isobel entered the park, she saw the rats and her brother standing below the trees. Rat was visibly threatening Jack. Isobel deftly removed an arrow from her quiver. Of course, it is much harder to aim at night than during the day, but the moon was offering a much needed glow that night. Isobel nocked the arrow, took a deep breath, and with a huff, released it. Within the same moment the bow made the _thwack _sound, Rat's paw shot up to his ear, right where Isobel's arrow had nicked him. He spun around, seeing her quickly approaching.

Isobel looked daggers at him and then looked quizzically at her brother. "Jack, where is your sword?"

He grinned sheepishly. "Having it polished. I know, coming to a place I hardly know…at night…without my sword-"

"Bad idea, obviously." Rat glared at him, removing his paw. A little blood trickled down his ear.

Isobel smacked him on the shoulder with her bow, stepping beside her brother. "I meant that cut on your ear to be a warning shot, Rat, so leave now."

"Ooo, I'm so afraid." Rat now approached her, leaning down to eye level. "What's the little lemur going to do with her tiny pointy things?"

A rock hurtled towards him and hit him square in the back of the head. He yelled out and spun around again. This time, he saw Julien.  
>"Eh, you're a little too close there." Julien told him, now slightly nervous that he had made him mad. But he had to do something for Isobel.<p>

"Oh, you again!" Rat began lumbering over to him.

Fire lit up in Isobel's eyes and she passed her bow and quiver to Jack.

"Oh, man." Jack said quietly. He knew that look on his sister's face and it even made him scared.

Rat continued on with his spiel towards Julien. "I seriously am going to-" He didn't get to finish.

**So sorry it took a few days for me to update! Busy week plus a three day headache. _ But I'm all good now, so I should be updating regularly again. :D Also, I watched Madagascar a couple days ago, and I completely forgot about Mort's line: "I like them! Before I even met them I liked them! As soon as I met them I liked them! You hate them compared to how much I like them!" Best. XD Just thought I'd share that. **


	9. Fight with Rat

Chapter 9: Fight with Rat

Isobel had run up behind Rat and latched herself onto him, her arms tight around his neck, forcing him to stagger back as he desperately tried to claw at her arms. She held on as tight as she could, but he was much stronger than her, and with a sudden jerk, he sent her flying back down to the ground. Jack was a little occupied as the smaller rats kept jumping on him to try and nip and scratch as best they could. They couldn't really hurt him, but they were certainly hindering him from helping his sister.

It was up to Julien now.

Rat turned to him, growling.

Julien summed all of his bravery and prepared to face Rat. He could not fight him, but he could dip and dodge out of his way long enough to tire out the rat king. And when Rat came up to him with heavy arms swinging, he did just that.

Isobel rolled over onto her stomach and saw what was happening. She knew Jack was fine by himself, the little rats were simply a hindrance, but she worried for Julien. She felt nothing broken, and so she jumped up. But she was surprised to realize that Julien was doing just fine. While Rat was bulky and lumbering, he was slow, and Julien was agile and quick from so much dancing, and so Rat had not landed a single punch. Then Isobel had a plan. When Julien was keeping away from his opponent's fist once again, Isobel slipped her way in, confusing Rat. He couldn't tell which way to aim. Isobel and Julien moved together, like a dance side by side. Isobel glanced at Julien and he glanced at her. They both knew what to do simply in that glance. When they pulled a particularly dizzying trick on Rat, he staggered back slightly, and this was their chance. They both swung at the same time, hitting Rat square in the face, sending the giant falling back.

"Alright!" Rat said, breathless. "I give!"

His two minions heard him, and jumped off of Jack. They helped Rat up and they fled as fast as their feet could carry them.

Isobel and Julien were a bit breathless themselves. They looked at each and smiled. The moonlight caught their eyes and smiles.

Jack cleared his throat, grumbling about the rats. Then he approached Isobel. She looked to him, knowing something was off.

"Jack?" She said quietly.

Jack took off his hat and looked down as he began refolding the edges. Isobel's heart lurched at this, assuming the worst.

"I bring news from the king." He finally spoke up.

Isobel breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh?"

Jack placed his hat back on his head. "He wanted me to remind you that Clopar is gone, banished to far away. He misses you, Isobel. He hopes to see you before his time comes."

Isobel nodded. "But he is a strong man, He can see ten or twenty more years."

Jack looked slightly grim. "I fear not, what with his cough. The healers say perhaps a year."

Isobel's eyes widened. Julien shifted. This was sounding like what had happened to his own father.

"I will come first thing in the morning." Isobel said.

Jack nodded. "If you allow me to stay the night here, I could accompany you in the morning."

"Of course." Isobel looked to Julien as asking if it was alright.

Julien nodded. "I am always wanting visitors."

Isobel grabbed the arrow she had shot at Rat, and her bow and quiver that Jack had set down when dealing the small rats. They walked back to the zoo, the moonlight capturing them in a comforting way.

**Sorry for the kinda short chapter, but there's much more to happen later on!**


	10. Talamaru

**Thank you, Treemist! :) And yes, there will be adventure soon to come!**

Chapter 10: Talamaru

All five of the lemurs were sitting around the little fire Isobel had going as they told stories. Mort wanted to go first and tell about the time he had stolen Kowalski's screwdriver and then got eaten by Rico. Maurice had to jump in a few times to correct Mort's mistakes and prevent confusion. Jack told them about how on his recent trip to London, when they had to travel in the north Atlantic, he had seen whales the color of black and white.

"Orcas, apparently." Jack said, leaning back.

Isobel then brought up an old tale, of how she and Jack had been playing in the harbor and accidently sent a docked ship to its watery grave.

"But we were so young." Isobel laughed. "I was eight and you were ten."

"And look at me now, I'm twenty-two and have only sank one other ship since then." Jack chuckled.

Julien could not think of a story to tell. Ever since Jack had told Isobel the king was ill, he had been thinking about his own father.

"My father was a good king." He spoke up. "Even better than me!"

"But King Julien, he wasn't as fun as you!" Mort told him.

Maurice rolled his eyes. Mort was not even around when King Julien the XII had passed away. But still Julien nodded his head in agreement. "This is true, Mort. But anyways, he was always repeating himself when talking to me because he knew I was not listening! I am always thinking of the other things. But now I wish that I had been listening. So now, I always listen to the Sky Spirits. I must not be missing what they have to say, now that he is a sky spirit too, you see."

Maurice's ears perked up. He had not known that was why he was always so adamant about heeding what the sky spirits commanded.

Isobel smiled sadly at Julien. "This is a good thing that you listen, even now. Ancestors are wise and important."

Julien looked to her, and then up at the sky. "Yes. Very important."

Jack's ears twitched. "Well, the night won't stay forever. I'm going to get some shut eye." He jumped down onto the grass.

"Me too." Mort yawned. He sleepily crashed onto the bouncy, and Maurice laid beside him.

Jack sat up against a palm trunk and pulled his hat down over his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest.

Julien watched Isobel pour water over the fire. When it was out, its smoke curled around through the bright moonlight.

Isobel smiled at Julien. "What a day."

Julien nodded in agreement, and then smiled. "We make a good team."

Isobel looked down shyly, still smiling. "We do."

They were quiet for a moment, until Julien spoke up again. "Can you teach me whatever it is you speak?"

Isobel's smile vanished as she looked at him. But her look was not serious, it was interested. "Well, to learn the Ta'li language, you need to be Ta'li, because it is such a complicated mix." She began explaining. "But, it is mostly Arabic. I could teach you some of this. Soon, but not tonight."

"Okay." Julien nodded his head in agreement. "You haven't told me about your kingdom. If you're from Madagascar, I must be knowing about your kingdom."

Isobel sighed. She had been taught that from the very moment she set foot in Atlantis that she was not supposed to trust anyone with the secrets of her past. But, somehow, she knew she could tell these new friends of hers anything and everything. "My home is called Talamaru."

"Talamaru." Julien tried out this strange word. "Never heard of it."

Isobel relaxed, smiling. "No, you haven't. No one has. And this is how it is supposed to be."

Julien was of course very confused now. "But I don't get it. If you are in Madagascar, and I am too, how have we not seen each other? Or, you know, your people seen my people?"

"Talamaru is a separate world inside of this world." Isobel explained. "There is nothing like it." She leaned back to look at what few stars there were, looking both sad and happy. "It is the most beautiful place on this earth."

Julien was interested. He pulled his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around them. "I told you about Madagascar. Tell me about your Talamaru."


	11. Last Fireflies

Chapter 11: Last Fireflies

Isobel laid down on the cement of the column, the last of the smoke from the fire dissipating. She wanted to look at the stars while she told Julien about her home. He laid down as well, facing the opposite direction, his head near hers. Isobel breathed out, seeing her breath curl upwards towards the stars. It was cool enough outside for that to happen, but it was not cold enough for it to bother her. She smiled then, letting the sky transport her to a land far, far away.

"Talamaru is its own world." Isobel said again. "We do not share the same sun, moon, and stars, or any of that. Just because it is raining in the rest of Madagascar does not mean it will be raining in Talamaru. I know, that is confusing. But, like Atlantis, it was meant to be cut from everything else."

Julien nodded, folding one arm across his chest and then using the other to rest his head on.

Isobel continued on. "It is jungle. But we have a beach as well. At night, little bioluminescent specks wash up onto the shore. They are bright blue, and they light up the beach like stars. And, there are other parts of Talamaru. Places I have never been."

"How is there room for all of this, but I have never seen it?" Julien asked. "This is sounding like the Narnia place."

"Narnia?" Isobel furrowed her brow.

Julien tilted his head back to look at her. "You know, that story about the witches and the closets. And the lion, I think. Anyways, this little girl goes into her closet and there's like a whole different place all inside of a tiny closet. And also a weird goat guy. Marlene told everyone about it when she read the books."

Isobel smiled. "I have never heard this story. But, yes, it is a bigger world inside of such a small space."

Julien nodded. "Do you have a king there?"

Isobel nodded. "Yes. But they are called sheikhs. And the queens are called sheikrahs. I do not remember who ruled when I was there."

"Do they get a crown?"

Isobel smiled again. She expected this question. "Such beautiful crowns. Made of feathers and leaves and gold. Like Aztecs, I suppose."

Suddenly, a dozen glowing insects began circling around them.

"Look," Isobel whispered so as not to frighten them, "They are the last fireflies of this year. They are late."

"How do you know they are the last?" Julien's eyes latched onto the bright, buzzing fireflies.

"It is too cold for them now." Isobel said as she curled up a bit, crossing her arms over her chest. "Too cold."

The last fireflies soon flew away.

"It was a sign that they stayed so late in the year." Isobel said quietly.

Julien turned over. "Is it bad?" He was rather superstitious.

"It depends." Isobel replied. "Whatever your last wish was will be the opposite."

His last wish had been for her to want to stay forever.

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The next day, the morning sun tried to peak through the thickening October clouds, as if it wanted to watch the three lemurs crossing the park.

"We've changed a few things around the city recently, Iz." Jack said to his sister as they walked along. "You can't knock on the tree bark to get in anymore. You have to go through the path with the boulder blocking it now."

Isobel tilted her head at him. "How did you get out by yourself then?"

"Well, you can still climb up the pole from the original entrance and get out that way." Jack explained.

Isobel nodded.

"I wonder what the king will have to say to you." Julien spoke up. "And to me."

"He will be glad to see us." Isobel looked at him. "And I am glad to see him, although it was good to be out of the city for a while."

They came up to the rock that not so long ago, Julien, Jack, and the penguins had come through to save Isobel. Vines were already beginning to creep over it again. Jack removed his sword to cut away a bit at them before they could push the rock to the side. When they opened it up to reveal the tunnel, Isobel just quietly stood there for a moment. She too had come this way, as a captive.

"Come on," Jack nudged his sister kindly, "We should keep going."

**I just realized that the penguins haven't really been in this story much. It's not that they aren't a part of the story, cos they totally are. They'll come back in chapter 14! And thank you, Treemist, as always. :D **


	12. Reunion with the King

Chapter 12: Reunion with the King

Isobel had not forgotten an inch of the city she grew up in. They were walking across the city square when an older woman approached Isobel. Julien recognized as the woman Isobel had been talking to when he first her here in this city.

Her light blue eyes sparkled when they met Isobel's green ones. "Oh, Isobel! Look how beautiful you have become!"

Isobel smiled at her. "I have not been gone so long, Naomi."

"It doesn't matter!" Naomi laughed. "You are more lovely than I remember."

They parted ways as they continued on.

"Who was that?" Julien asked her.

"Naomi." Isobel replied. "She is an old friend of mine and Jack's."

As they walked through the usual bustling crowds, some whispers arose. The people had noticed the absence of their princess, and they wondered who this new lemur with a crown on his head was. They also noticed the quiver that Isobel carried now, stocked with her bow and arrows.

When they approached the heavy doors of the throne room, Isobel flicked the right corner of her ear towards the guards, and they instantly opened the doors for them. Truly, the gems in her ears were the keys to the city.

The king's face lit up from his perch on his throne at the sight of them, but he began to cough, a deep thing that rattled his chest. Isobel's own smile faded and she ascended the steps.

"Father?" She said as she hugged him. "You are unwell. The healers could not do anything?"

"Never mind that." The king waved her off, the giddy sparkle returning to his eyes. "What is this quiver you have?"

Isobel smiled slightly and removed it so he could see. "I am practicing archery again. It is because of grandmother."

The king nodded approvingly. "This is good. Your people are fearsome, Isobel. Not even the Atlanteans are so fierce."

"You are more hospitable." Isobel smiled broadly now.

The king raised an eyebrow. "And the Ta'li are not?"

"We don't much like outsiders." Isobel shook her head.

The king laughed. "And yet you have so many outside friends!"

Isobel looked to Julien with a smile. "They are a different story."

The king nodded. "So tell me, how is the leader penguin?"

"Skipper? He is the same." Isobel said. "They have been up to something lately, though. And I have made friends with an otter. I am no longer the only female in the group."

The king then looked to Jack. "Jack, I have not seen you in a while either."

"I've been recruiting." Jack straightened up. "I'm still five hands short."

"You will find them." The king encouraged him before looking to Julien. "And so you are the one who carried Isobel across the water; Jack told me. I remember you; the tall, clueless one."

"I am not so clueless!" Julien defended himself. "I am a king, and kings must be smart."

The king shrugged and he looked down slightly, a half smile on his face. Julien instantly recognized this as a habit that Isobel had as well. He looked back up, turning stately. "Fair enough. So, as Isobel has pointed out, I am not in my best health any longer. I will not be king forever. And I will need someone to take over in my stead. I want it to be you, Isobel."


	13. A Bit of Shocking News

Chapter 13: A Bit of Shocking News

Isobel sat down on the chaise lounge next to her father's throne. The news hit her like a ton of bricks. "Me? How could I rule these people? I love them, but they are not mine."

"There is no one else trustworthy." The king threw up his hands.

"No distant relatives?" Jack asked.

"There are a couple." The king admitted. "But they are not young and healthy like Isobel. Nor have they been to Atlantis. Except…There is one."

Isobel's ears perked up. "Who?"

"My second cousin, Rupert, who is king of the eastern country, has a son; Aleksander."

Isobel smiled. "Perfect! Bring him here to rule. He could choose one of the Atlantean women."

"You don't understand, Isobel." The king explained. "You'd be marrying him, to be queen. Then you wouldn't have to rule, he would."

"What?!" Julien and Isobel both exclaimed. Isobel turned her head sharply towards Julien, and he closed his mouth. "I will not marry Aleksander! I do not know him."

The king knew she would say this. "But I do. He is trustworthy."

"But I am not even royal." Isobel reminded him.

"But you are my daughter." The king retorted. "You will make him a fine queen."

Isobel crossed her arms, ready to do battle. "If I am to be queen someday, it will not be by him."

Julien was glad she had said this.

The king laughed. "We will see. They are coming to visit next week. This should give you time to think."

Isobel stood briskly, obviously mad. "Fine. I will come back then. Goodbye, father."

The king smiled, knowing how his daughter's anger often came and went. "I'll see you soon, Isobel."

The trio managed to find their way out of the city quickly, and Isobel exploded once they were back in the park.

"How could he even suggest this?" She huffed, speaking to both Jack and Julien. "I could not rule these people, let alone marry some prince!"

"He knows you would make a good queen." Jack tried to soothe his sister. "And who knows, Aleksander may already have plans to rule his father's kingdom when the time comes."

Isobel shook her head. "No one would deny a crown to Atlantis. We still have our gold and harbor. It may not be what it once was, but we are still wealthy and powerful."

Jack thought for a moment. "Well perhaps his own family would prefer he marry a royal."

Julien agreed with Jack. "Yes, there can be lots of rules about this sort of thing."

Isobel nodded, calming down. "Yes, this may be true." She sighed. "But I still must meet them. You two had better come with me. I won't meet them with just my father."

Jack smiled a bit, knowing things would turn out just fine. "Well I don't know, I'll have to check my schedule-"

Isobel laughed and smacked him with his own hat. "You're impossible, Jack."

Jack then remembered he still needed to find extra deckhands. He bid his goodbye to them and went back to the city.

"Did you really mean what you said?" Julien asked Isobel as they walked on once they were alone.

Isobel looked at him. "About Aleksander? Of course. Why would I want to rule by him?"

Julien turned his head a bit to try and hide his smile. "I'm just over here wondering."

Isobel smirked. "Hmm."

Julien looked back at her. "What?"

Isobel smiled as she walked ahead of him towards the zoo. "I'm just right here thinking."


	14. A Discussion of Tradition

Chapter 14: A Discussion of Tradition

Later on into the day, Isobel and Julien decided to visit the penguins.

"I need to tell them about what my father said." Isobel said on their way to the penguin's habitat.

"They won't be too happy about that." Julien guessed.

"They won't feel any worse than I did." Isobel shrugged. "If I end up marrying, it will be more likely from my homeland. Though it is better to tie two nations together."

Julien nodded. "It's the opposite in de Madagascar. Outsiders aren't welcome. Except for my mother. It was different."

"Where was she from?" Isobel asked.

Julien shrugged. "I don't know. Another time that rule was ignored was when my father married my step-mother after my mother passed away."

Isobel searched his facial expressions from the side. "Step-mother?"

Julien's eyebrows suddenly crinkled together. "Yes, and she is a real wickedy-witch of the west! She had a son before she married my father. He is my age. Thinks he's all that."

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"Yeah, I have an older brother and a younger sister." Julien told her. "They live with my step-mother in South Africa somewhere."

Isobel nodded. "If you have an older brother, how did you become king?"

"He refused." Julien rolled his shoulders, adjusting his crown.

"I would have done the same." Isobel said quietly.

"Why?" Julien asked.

"It is a lot of work to rule a kingdom." Isobel explained. "I'm sure you know this."

Julien looked away. He didn't know. He only knew about how to throw parties for his people. He couldn't even keep them safe from the fossa.

"How old are you?" Isobel suddenly asked.

Julien snapped out of his thoughts. "I will be twenty-three next month."

Isobel nodded. "You are a young king. Someday, your people will want a queen."

Julien twitched his ears. Surely, someday, she would want to be queen of something.

They reached the penguin's habitat, and they climbed in through the fishbowl.

"Okay, Rico." Kowalski said. He was standing next to Rico, who had what looked like a metal strainer connected to a bunch of wires on his head. "Hold still. There is only a slight, uh, ninety percent chance this will shock you with static pain. But it should only make your cranium feel slightly itchy."

Rico whimpered. "Oh, boy."

"I should have expected you to be working on something, Kowalski." Isobel smiled.

Kowalski looked up, as he was about to flip the switch on Rico's hat. "Oh, Isobel! Hello."

Rico sighed in relief at the distraction. "Iz!"

"Ello, Isobel!" Private waved as he looked away from the TV.

"Long time no see." Skipper said from his seat at the table, stirring his coffee with a fish.

Isobel sighed as she went to sit at the table as well. "I have a story for you."

"Go on." Skipper told her. "We can handle it."

"Ooh, storytime!" Private twirled before plopping down to listen.


	15. A Promise to Never Break

Chapter 15: A Promise to Never Break

"Wow. That's quite a predicament you've got." Kowalski commented after Isobel finished her story.

"Oh, the poor king!" Private sighed wearily. Rico patted him on the shoulder.

"Next week?" Skipper asked her.

"I know." Isobel sighed. "It's so soon. I've never even heard of the east country."

"Good thing you told the king what you were thinking." Skipper sat up. "The prince is probably some snooty jerk."  
>"Maybe." Isobel nodded. "But it's not even that. I haven't had a chance to venture the world yet. Let along become a queen. I said that I want to see my people at least once more. I won't break that promise to myself."<p>

"What if you don't find them?" Private asked.

"I will." Isobel was confident. "It will be a journey, but they are not so far away."

Skipper was quiet for a moment, deep in his thoughts. Then he spoke up. "I promise that we will get you there someday."

Everyone turned to look at him.

"You do?" Isobel asked quietly.

"I don't know how." Skipper said. "But we'll get there even if we have to rent a rowboat."

Isobel smiled broadly, and Julien said, "A rowboat? This is impossible! If you anything you must be getting a yacht."

Skipper rolled his eyes. "Figure of speech, Ringtail, I'm trying to help the lady."

It was then Isobel hurriedly came up to Skipper and gave him a hug. "Thank you, Skipper. Truly, I have never had such good friend."

Skipper's eyes went a little wide. "Well, of course. And, it would be an adventure for us to."

Isobel stepped away, still smiling. "I may even remember how to get there."

Now Kowalski smiled. "No worries! We've been to Madagascar before."

Private nodded. "We wanted to go to Antarctica, but it… wasn't so great. And we ended up in Madagascar instead!"

"Oh, yes." Isobel nodded. "That's right."

Skipper smiled, changing the subject. "Okay, so, tomorrow is Halloween. And we all know what that means, right?"

"Candy!" Rico and Kowalski said excitedly.

"Ghost stories?" Private asked worriedly.

"Exactamundo!" Skipper clapped Private on the back. "But the question is, where are we going to get all the candy? Easy! After hours, we raid the staff room for leftovers from their daytime shindig. Any questions?"

Private raised his flipper. "Isn't that stealing?"

"Ah, young Private." Skipper said. "If we don't take the leftovers, they'll be thrown out anyway! So who's with me?"

Two other flippers and two paws shot up.

"Case closed." Skipper smiled smugly.

**Hello! Sorry it took me forever to update, and with such a short chapter. Things have been busy, but I'll update again soon! **


	16. Night of Candy

Chapter 16: Night of Candy

"Private, quit flicking the flashlight!" Isobel whispered to the penguin.

"Sorry!" Private shook the flashlight so it would stop its flickering.

It was the next night, long after visitors and staff alike had left, and the six animals were closing in on the staff room.

"Alright, we need a look out." Skipper said quietly. When no one spoke up, he looked to his youngest cadet. "Thank you for volunteering, Private."

Private looked wide eyed at him. "Wha- okay." He waited outside the door, clutching his flashlight.

"Rico, Kowalski; go for the tables. There could be half empty bowls and what not up there." Skipper began giving instructions. "Lemurs, you can handle the cupboards with your opposable thumbs. I've got the fridge. Ready, set, initiate!"

Isobel leapt onto the counter, swinging open a cupboard door. Inside were bags of hard candy and jelly beans.

"Julien, catch!" Isobel tossed down a bag of sour lemon drops. She grabbed a bag of jelly beans and dropped down a box of Jolly Ranchers to Skipper.

Once the mini-mission was completed, they were set for Halloween: Half a bag of circus peanuts, some caramel, three unopened chocolate bars, lollipops, and even some boxed éclairs from the fridge.

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"I think…I think I've never had so many jelly beans in my life." Private hiccupped.

Everyone was sprawled out here and there in the penguins' HQ. Mort, Maurice, and Marlene were there as well.

"Totally." Marlene agreed, paws folded over her stomach. "But those éclairs were killer."

"Those lemony thingies hurt my tongue." Mort stuck his tongue out, trying to see the sugar sores on it.

"Why is it called a circus peanut if it is not even a peanut?" Julien asked absentmindedly as he lay on the floor, holding up the orange, marshmallow-like candy.

"Because when circuses would – Oh, forget it," Kowalski was much too full and too sleepy to give a detailed answer. He crashed down onto the floor face first and instantly fell asleep, the final effect of a sugar crash.

Isobel leaned her head against the wall she was sitting against, looking down at Julien.

Julien remembered something. "Isn't tonight when those ghosts come out?"

Isobel nodded, her sleepiness melting away in remembering this as well. "We'll have to go down to Violet Hill. Who will come?"

Tired and slightly grouchy groans came from all around the room.

Isobel stood up, hands on her hips, and smile aglow. "Where did all of your spirits go?"

With some persuasion, everyone (with the exception of Marlene; she would go wild in the park) agreed to take the walk.

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"So how long do we have to wait?" Private yawned. They were standing atop Violet Hill.

"What time is it, Kowalski?" Isobel asked.

Kowalski sleepily looked to his wrist as though there would be a watch there. "It's half-past…I don't even know." He fell back onto the grass.

Skipper looked down on him. "Come on, soldier, stand up!"

Kowalski grumbled and curled up.

"Ah!" Rico suddenly pointed across the park.

And in that direction, you could see the ghostly form of a gypsy caravan, seeming to come towards them. Private shuddered at the sight and stepped closer into the protective barrier of friends. But the gypsies stopped to make camp in the middle of the park. Isobel began to explain to everyone the tragic tale. Julien had heard this from her already, but he loved to listen to her stories.

The penguins were wide eyed and Mort shook a bit, but Maurice calmed him down with a pat on the head.

"That was, well, informing." Skipper commented.

Rico had felt like throwing up during the romance bits, but hearing about the violent ending made his stomach feel at ease again.

And while they had heard the whole story already, the ghostly forms were still playing out their parts. The animals looked on, watching the king meet the gypsy girl. But when the time came for the star-crossed lovers final dance, their ghostly apparitions appeared right in the group of friends, mysteriously swirling about Julien and Isobel. Everyone gasped, but the forms were gone in an instant. Isobel and Julien were looking straight at each other, horrified and mystified.

"That's never happened before." Isobel said quietly.

Julien swallowed, knowing all too well about bad omens. But, although the king and gypsy girl have a tragic ending in the story, Julien felt that was not what would happen to them.

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Everyone walked back to the zoo in silence. The penguins and lemurs parted ways quietly, with Skipper looking back over his shoulder to Isobel.

Sleep did not come easily for Isobel, but Julien had reassured her all would be well. So she tried to settle her anxious nerves, and lulled herself to sleep, unknowing of what would come within the next couple of days.


	17. Manila Envelope

Chapter 17: Manila Envelope

The morning came slowly. Isobel sat up on the throne, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She tried to push the mysterious event of the night before to the back of her mind. She looked around and saw that everyone else was still sleeping. She caught sight of Julien and her heart beat a little quicker and she instantly thought of the ghosts. She shook her head and jumped off the throne, deciding to go see the penguins. On her way there, she also remembered that today was the day Aleksander was coming to Atlantis. She rolled her eyes as she climbed down into the HQ. Even the penguins were still sleeping, but she sighed in relief to see that they were there. She peered into their mail slot and pulled out its contents.

"Advertisement…Real estate…Coupons…" She flipped through junk until she reached a blank manila envelope. She raised an eyebrow and decided to open it. Four separate letters fell out. She picked them up and saw who they were addressed to each of the penguins. Or, rather: Skippy, Kow-ala Bear (she had to laugh a little at that one), Rico, and Privé. When she saw who the letters were from, she knew she had to wake them up now.

"Hey, wake up." She called to them, a smile on her face.

"Ugh…what's up?" Skipper rolled over, obviously groggy.

"Guess who wrote to all of you?" Isobel was stifling a laugh.

"The Smithsonian?" Kowalski asked excitedly, instantly awake.

Isobel shook her head, giggling. "It's even better."

Private sleepily crawled out of his bunk. "Who?"

Isobel stepped forward and handed out the letters. "To Skipper, _Kow-ala Bear_, Rico, and Privé."

"Oh my…" Skipper sat up slowly in a state of shock. "They've found me."

Rico gagged, throwing the letter across the room. "Nuh-uh! No! Nooooo!"  
>"This can't be…" Kowalski stammered. "It's-"<p>

"Oh, mum and dad!" Private hugged the letter to his heart and twirled around.

It was true; all the penguins had received letters from their parents. It was also notifying them that they would be arriving to the Central Park Zoo within a few days.

"This is great!" Isobel was laughing so hard her sides hurt. "I cannot wait to meet them!"

"It's not funny!" Skipper protested, leaping out of bed. "I told them I was going my own way! And now…they're coming! To New York!"

Kowalski ran over to one of their circular windows, pressing his face to the glass. "Maybe we could submerge the HQ into the ground floor. Yes, we will live in the center of the earth. There's no P.O. box there!"

Skipper ran up to him and slapped him. "Keep it together, man! We need realistic options here."

Isobel's laughter subsided and she smiled. "What are you so worried for? This will be so fun."

"I'm so excited!" Private was skipping around, and he paused to give Isobel a quick hug. "Mum and dad will love you!"

Isobel smiled at him. "Thank you, Private. But right now, I'm worried about you know who…Aleksander. I have to leave right now, but when I return, I'll help you all prepare."

Not one penguin looked up from his letter.

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When Isobel returned to the lemur habitat, Julien waved a letter at her, looking annoyed. She grabbed the letter and read it. She scanned it and her eyes landed at the name on the bottom of the page.

"Mauve?" Her eyes widened. "Your stepmother?"

Julien cringed and scoffed. "I know, it sounds like a disease."

Mort came up to them. "I don't like her. She's mean and doesn't like fun things."

Isobel read the letter some more. "Your siblings are coming too?"

Julien nodded. "Yeah. It is true, I am glad they are coming. But not Mauve and the step-brother."

"I understand. But we have plenty of time to prepare." Isobel reached the end of the letter. "Oh… Or two days."


	18. Meeting the Eastern Royals

Chapter 18: Meeting the Eastern Royals

Half an hour later, Isobel, Jack, and Julien were on their way back to Atlantis. Isobel was fidgety the whole way, rotating her ears and such.

"Why would he invite them even when I gave my answer already?" Isobel asked aloud.

"It's formal." Jack shrugged. "Peace-keeping."

"Funny way of keeping peace." Julien muttered.

Isobel nodded. "Perhaps they know already, and are only here for a visit. To look around."

Jack looked at his sister and gave her a small smile. While she was a wild spirit, he knew that she felt indebted to the king.

They entered the City Square, and it was bustling with people, like usual. By the chatter they heard amongst them, they could tell the foreign royals had already arrived.

The guards at the entrance to the throne room let the trio in. Julien and Jack stayed back so Isobel could greet the guests, as was intended.

The king was standing up by his throne, and he and the other two lemurs, one old and one closer to Isobel's age, turned when they heard the heavy doors close.

"Isobel!" the king shouted happily. "Come, come! We have been waiting."

Isobel watched the prince gazing at her, and she raised her head (out of defiance, not manners), throwing a sashay in her walk as she crossed the stepping stones, Jack and Julien a fair distance behind her. Rupert smiled at her, but she saw the wealth of Atlantis gleaming in his eyes. No doubt that was all he was concerned about. When she looked Aleksander's way again, he flicked his gaze away nervously. Isobel was surprised. He was somewhat handsome, she could admit, but she still felt an arrogant air about him.

The king introduced her once she was at the top of the steps. "This is my daughter, Isobel. Isobel, this is my cousin, Rupert, and his son, Prince Aleksander."

Isobel inclined her head politely to them.

"My, what green eyes you have!" Rupert observed. "Like emeralds!"

_Of course he is thinking of gemstones. _Isobel thought. "They are my grandmother's. She wa-"

The king coughed loudly, but this time on purpose. "Isobel, why don't you take Aleksander to see the Hall of Kings?"

Right as Isobel was about to respond, Jack shouted, "Quick, get it!"

Everyone looked down the steps to see what the commotion was about.

He and Julien were jumping circles around one particular spot, and stamping their feet.

"Die, you-"

"Eh, Jack." Julien tapped Jack on the shoulder, and he looked up at their little audience, about to squish something beneath his boot.

He smiled charmingly. "Sorry about that. Sand gecko problem."

The lizard crawled onto Jack's shoulder, and Julien quickly snatched it and threw it at the wall, where it stuck. They smiled innocently at the king, and he rolled his eyes to the ceiling. Isobel put her hand over her mouth to stifle her laugh. The king raised an eyebrow at her and she settled.

"I apologize for my daughter's guests." The king turned to Rupert. "Now, Isobel; go."

Isobel sighed. "Follow me, Aleksander."

They walked behind the throne, to another entrance that led to the Hall.

The king smiled at Rupert. "Sit down, I will be right back."

He descended the steps, rage boiling in his face.

"You two!" He shout-whispered to Julien and Jack. "Get over here!"

They obeyed and inched closer to the king.

"What is the matter with you? Disrupting me while I haggle with my city's, a_nd my daughter's_, futures! You should know better, Julien."

"Well, you see, de gecko there was nipping our ankles." Julien explained.

**Merry Christmas, everyone! :D **


	19. A Trick on Aleksander

Chapter 19: A Trick on Aleksander

"What is the Eastern land like?" Isobel asked Aleksander as they walked down the marble hall. Long plants cascaded down the mural covered walls. Isobel decided that she could at least be pleasant to him. Perhaps he disagreed with this arrangement as well.

"Very cold." Aleksander said quietly. "Nothing like this. The castle is grand. And, frankly, above land. But I could get used to this."

Isobel flattened her ears. Perhaps he wasn't as opposed as she thought.

Aleksander cleared his throat, speaking a little louder. "I will run this city well." He spoke as though his coronation was minutes away! "And you will make a good queen."

Now Isobel glared at him. "I will not rule this city."

Aleksander smiled. "Of course not. I will."

The passed by a portrait depicting a snake charmer and several cobras. As Isobel fumed at the prince, she noticed him visibly shudder just glancing at the painting.

Her ears suddenly perked up. "Are you afraid of snakes, Prince?"

The prince nodded. "We don't have them in the Eastern Kingdom. They are the devil's own."

Isobel's eyes turned up in a mischievous smile. "What if I were a snake?"

Aleksander laughed, although it sounded slightly nervous. "You jest well."

"Do I?" Isobel raised an eyebrow, stopping in her tracks. Aleksander turned back to look at her, his eyes suddenly going as wide as saucers.

Isobel had quickly transformed into the white cobra, arching back and snapping at him.

Aleksander's screams echoed through the immense hall as he sprinted back towards the throne room. But Isobel was fast, and she transformed back, catching up to him.

"Why so afraid, Prince? It's only me!" She smiled wickedly at him, baring her fangs.

Aleksander stumbled and tripped back into the throne room, bursting out from behind the curtains that were draped behind the throne. He rushed to his father and the king, who were gawking at him.

"She's a snake!" He yelled, his voice bouncing from the marble ceiling and across the pond. "A cobra with fangs sharp as knives!"

Isobel innocently walked out from behind the sheer curtains. Her eyes flashed to the shocked Julien and Jack before looking at her father, very concerned. "One of our silkworms dropped onto his head from a banister. It frightened him terribly, as you can see."

Julien and Jack could not suppress grins, knowing she had played a trick on him.

Aleksander shook with anger and fear. "You say she is a beautiful Atlantean princess, huh, father? All I see now is a shape-shifter who would kill me the moment I turn my back?"

"Why would I do that?" Isobel smiled sweetly at him.

Both kings were at a loss, only staring at their children.

"If I may intrude," Jack piped up from down the steps, "It seems as though the meeting did not go well! But no matter, Isobel has other places to be."

Julien nodded. "Yes! Better places. With the people who are caring so much for her. Er, about her."

Isobel's eyes softened as she looked down at them. She descended the steps, leaving this as a sign she would never be queen of Atlantis.

**Thanks, Treemist! :) And yes, I loved the sand gecko part. :p **

**Updated: I just realized I put "Charles" instead of Aleksander! No idea where that came from. :p**


	20. In Time

Chapter 20: In Time

Isobel's eyes glittered in a smile as she came up to her friend and brother, momentarily placing her hands on their shoulders. "Thank you."

She then turned back around to the others still at the top of the steps.

"I have found that the best people…Just happen. They are not forced into your life. And so, father," The king looked straight at his daughter, a mix of pride and disappoint etched across his face. "This is the path I choose."

And without another word, she spun Julien and Jack towards the heavy doors leading out of the throne room, leaving two kings and a prince dumbfounded on the top of the steps.

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"Great show, Isobel!" Jack applauded his sister as they all walked under the nearly bare branches of the trees in the park. "You had their heads spinning. And the Prince! He looked pale as a sheet."

Isobel's eyes glimmered. "He should not have given away his fear of snakes! But it worked out perfectly for me this way."

Chuckles went around again at the sight of the prince bumbling into the throne room.

"Now you are not having to worry about them." Julien reassured her. "They probably left so fast their crowns are spinning on the floor of de royal throne room."

Isobel smiled at the thought. "Thank you, again. For what you said."

"It was no problem." Jack shook his head. "Anything for my sister."

"We only speak the truth." Julien agreed.

Isobel's eras pricked up as they neared the zoo. "I promised the penguins I would help them prepare for their parents."

Julien groaned. He had hoped he and Isobel could go for one of their walks around the zoo after it closed, which was only in an hour. "Why can't Marlene be helping them?"

"Marlene went on another trip." Isobel explained. "To see her parents."

"Sounds like a busy day." Jack said. "I should be going back now."

Isobel and Julien stealthily snuck back into the zoo, and into their habitat.

Mort rushed up to greet them. "Oh yey, you are back! Was the prince smelly?"

Isobel smiled at Mort's silly question. "In a way, Mort."

Maurice was attempting to dance for the people. He spotted Julien. "Oh, thank the Sky Spirits, you're back! Will you take my place?"

Julien stood tall and readjusted his crown. "Who else is worthy of entertaining these freaks, Maurice?"

He jumped up onto the lion column and began to dance, the visitors cheering for him.

Isobel sighed, not feeling at all like helping with entertaining today.

Mort noticed this. "What's wrong, Isobel?"

Isobel sat down beside him. "Everything will be fine, Mort. In time."

Mort nodded, not fully understanding. But he held her hand as his way of comfort, using the other to wave at the people. Isobel smiled at Mort's true innocence, squeezing his hand and waving a bit too.


	21. Polish Words

Chapter 21: Polish Words

As soon as Alice shooed the final visitors out of the zoo, Isobel began walking to the penguin's habitat. She opened the fish dish and began climbing down the ladder.

It. Was. A. Disaster.

Skipper was hurriedly sorting through office-type boxes. Kowalski was pouring through assorted notes and advanced science books, throwing them here and there. Private was sitting at the table, happy as could be, humming and making greeting cards. Rico was lying in the corner in a state of denial.

Isobel stepped off the ladder, and took a deep breath. "Everybody, freeze. We need to get this place…Neat freak clean. Private, keep working on décor. Kowalski, slow down; science is not going to help us with this. Rico, get out of the fetal position. It is only your parents! And Skipper, I'll help you file things. We can worry about everything else later."

Everyone set to work. Within an hour, the place was practically sparkling. Private had decorated everything. Pictures and awards crowded the walls of HQ. Unlike Julien's family, the penguins' families were coming in three days and not the day after tomorrow. But they still felt much better now that the place was at least prepared.

Isobel had an idea. "Your holiday, Thanksgiving, is soon. We could have a feast."

"And where do you intend on getting all this food?" Skipper questioned.

"Atlantis is hospitable, remember?" Isobel flashed him a smile.

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"Keep any and all stinking fish away from my side of the table." Julien crossed his arms.

The penguins were conversing with the lemurs in the lemur habitat later that night.

"Considering you're outnumbered, I can assure you there will be fish everywhere." Skipper narrowed his eyes at him.

Julien shook his head. "The smell bothers me."

"Well what am I supposed to do? Keep my parents in an airtight container?" Skipper raised his voice.

"Oh! There is an idea, bossy penguin." Julien said sarcastically.

Isobel laughed. "Stop. We will keep the fish on ice. This way, the smell will not be so strong."

Julien and Skipper muttered but agreed.

Isobel looked to Skipper. "Your parents aren't coming for a few days. Enough worrying."

"But I have to!" Skipper protested. "You have no idea how they are. My father is in the reserved armed forces. I bet he came all the way from Luxembourg to be here. And my mom is a pilot. I, uh, have a little sister too. Amy."

Isobel nodded. "What about you, Kowalski?"

"Uhm, I'm good, thanks." Kowalski looked at his feet.

Isobel scanned his face with her eyes. "What does your _mamusia_ do?"

Kowalski looked up instantly. "How do you-"

"Know that you're Polish?" Isobel smiled. "_Kowalski._"

Kowalski sighed and nodded. "You're right."

"Why do you not seem proud?" Isobel asked. "Be proud. Polish people are strong. Always be proud of your heritage."

Kowalski smiled a bit. "I know. I just got made fun of at school for have a 'mamusia' and not a 'mom'. They didn't understand! It's just a word for mom. Well, mommy…Anyway! She's an actress part time. And she writes novels. My dad is a surgeon. Neurosurgeon."

Isobel nodded, smiling. "You see? This is not high school, no one cares that you have a different name for your mother."

"Mamusia." Julien snickered quietly.

Isobel shot him a look, and he quieted down. "Speaking of mothers, your step one arrives tomorrow."

"What?!" Julien jumped up. "But I have two more days!"

Isobel grimaced. "I reread the letter when I got back. She has such terrible handwriting! Much too slanted. They are coming in the morning."

Julien groaned and fell back, looking up at the sky, holding his arms out. "Why, Sky Spirits? How have I abandoned you!"

Isobel looked back to Skipper, and he raised an eyebrow at her. "You see? This is a very dramatic time for us!"

"Yeah." Maurice chuckled. "_Melo_dramatic time."


	22. Arrival of Family

**Happy New Year! It's been a while since I updated, but it's a longer chapter than usual. As always, reviews are appreciated. :) **

Chapter 22: Arrival of Family

The next morning, the lemurs awoke extra early. Julien's family would be there within minutes. They could see Alice wheeling the cart around the corner.

Julien gulped, and readjusted his crown out of nervousness. Isobel knew he was anxious, and for a good reason. She gently squeezed his hand.

"Whatever she is like, remember, you do not belong to her. Her opinions are her own." She told him quietly and let go of his paw.

Julien nodded, blushing slightly under his fur.

Alice dropped off the crate in the middle of the habitat, and walked away. The lemurs approached it carefully.

"Open the door!" Obviously Mauve's voice.

"Hang on, Mauve." Definitely Julien's sister. "They'll come to help us."

"Wait, the nail's right here." And finally Julien's brother.

He slid the nail out and the door came down.

"Julien!" His sister ran out, her arms outstretched, and latched right onto Julien.

Isobel guessed her age at just a couple years younger than herself.

Julien practically lost his balance. "Hey, Jazlene."

Jazlene back up a bit, her arms still around her neck. "I've missed you so much!" Then her voice got quieter as she stood on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear. "It's hard not to with _that _around." She nudged her shoulder in Mauve's direction.

Jazlene let go of Julien, a big smile on her face. She noticed Isobel.

"Jules, who's that?" She asked sweetly.

Isobel smiled at Jazlene and then at Julien. "Jules?"

Julien waved it off. "Yes, it is my royal nickname, permitted to family only. Anyways, Jazlene, this is Isobel."

Isobel approached her, expecting a handshake like everyone else had given her, but Jazlene went straight in for a hug.

"Do you know how happy I am that my big brother finally got himself a girlfriend?" Jazlene asked her.

"Ehehe, okay there, weirdo." Julien laughed nervously as he peeled Jazlene off of Isobel.

Jazlene then saw Mort and ran to him. "Mort! I missed you too!"

Mort held his arms up to her as he jumped up and down. "Ohh, I have missed you sooo much more!"

Jazlene was then preoccupied with hugging Mort.

Julien's brother then approached. He didn't look too much Julien, unlike Jazlene, who was practically his female copy aside from her lighter eyes and girlish figure.

"It's good to see you, little brother." He said formally.

"You too, Rafa." There was an awkwardness in his voice.

Jazlene looked over. "Oh my sky spirits, just hug!"

The pair of brothers laughed and finally hugged each other in greeting. They began to chat in Malagasy, laughing uproariously every few words.

Isobel smiled as well, watching the two. She could understand a few words of Malagasy, as it was not so far off from her own language. But Julien and Rafa spoke at such a rapid fire pace it was difficult to catch much.

And then Mauve approached the bunch. "Calm yourselves! It's only Julien."

Everyone stopped laughing, looking at the old ex-matriarch. Isobel detected no hint of any strong foreign accent in her voice. It was slightly French. She remembered that Julien had once told her she had come from a wealthy family, but she had not been quite so wealthy once Julien took the throne. Her face was pinched, like she was smelling something sour. Her eyes reflected her name as they were a pale shade of lavender.

Her eyes swept over her brood, and then landed on Isobel. She raised her brows slightly at the sight of gold and gems in her ears.

"Where does your family rule?" Mauve asked curtly. So rude was she.

Isobel tilted her head up slightly. "They don't."

Of course, this was not entirely true, as she was the adoptive daughter of the king of Atlantis. But she decided to leave this out.

Mauve's eyebrows raised higher. "You're not royal?"

Julien was about to speak up, but Isobel stopped him. "No. My blood is that of a warrior."

Mauve inhaled through her nose sharply and shook her head at Julien. "I need to speak with you."

Julien narrowed his eyes at her and they walked away from the group to talk in private.

"I love your earrings." Jazlene said quietly as she came up to Isobel.

"Thank you." Isobel subconsciously felt her hoops. Jazlene's ears were bare.

"I'd get them pierced," she said, "But it's not in our culture."

Isobel nodded. "Your step-mother does not accept me."

Jazlene smiled slightly. "You're very beautiful. She'll come around."

Isobel smiled. "I am glad that you two came though."

Rafa looked up and smiled at her, his white teeth gleaming against his more brownish fur. "So are we."

Jazlene nodded, looking around. "What a place. Isobel, can you tell me more about where you're from?"

"Of course." Isobel said. "Sit with me, and I will tell you."

They sat, Isobel facing the brother and sister. She glanced up and saw Julien's step-brother still standing by the crate. He had not greeted Julien or anyone else. His arms were crossed as he leaned against the crate. He was gazing off into the distance. Isobel found herself staring, and he looked in her direction. His eyes were the color of the ocean's tilt, like blue sea-glass atop gray rocks. Isobel quickly looked away and focused on her little audience.

"Across the ocean, deep into the jungles of Madagascar…"


	23. The Song

Chapter 23: The Song

"_Warrior blood_?" Mauve scoffed at Julien, her own arms crossed. "With those flashy jewels, she's no doubt a gypsy."

Julien rolled his eyes, his anger beginning to boil. "And since when have you met one?"

Mauve laughed. "What good to you is a girl who comes from woven rugs and sand?"

"Uh, let me think," Julien paused in mock thought, "She won't bore my brains out with palace nonsense?"

Mauve's cold eyes narrowed. "You know the law. Royalty and royalty only."

"Sorry, I didn't get a chance to read the book of most stupidest rules ever!" Julien shot back at her. "Besides, whoever said Isobel wanted to be queen of anything? Did I say that? No, I didn't."

Mauve sighed. "I can tell you like her very much. But I don't, and – what's that sound?"

Julien and Mauve both turned their heads.

They could not see the source, but Julien half-smiled as he heard the familiar song. "It's Isobel."

Coming out from behind the Lion Column, they saw Isobel standing before Jazlene and Rafa, singing the song she had sung on her return from collecting her arrows from the park.

Mauve huffed. "Of course. Make her stop before it infects the minds of your brother and sister."

Julien rolled his eyes at her, but then his eyes were scanning for Topaz. He saw him still leaning against the crate, eyes wide as clam shells as he watched Isobel. Julien narrowed his eyes and he began to approach Isobel just as her song ended.

Jazlene instantly broke into applause. "That was great! I don't know the words, but still!"

Isobel smiled. "Thank you. I have not sung for anyone in such a long time."

"Please don't hurry to start again." Mauve spoke up.

Isobel turned to her. "I'll sing whenever-"

Julien jumped between them. "Hey, look what time it is!"

"Bro, it's 9:30 AM." Rafa tilted his head at him.

Julien blinked at him. "I know."

"Ohh, gotcha." Rafa nodded his head.

"You're right, it's getting late." Isobel went to retrieve her bow and quiver. "I'm going shooting."

"Shooting what?" Mauve asked worriedly.

"Pigeons, rats; whatever's native." Isobel said as she vaulted the wall.

Mauve gave Julien a horrified look.

"She's, uh, sarcastic." Julien explained. He then went to follow Isobel.

"Way to ruin our visit, Mauve." Jazlene said as she stood up from the grass. She began to walk to another section of the habitat.

Mauve's eyes flashed. "Don't start with me-"

Rafa held his hand up to her. "Just cool it."

He followed his sister, who had gone to sit with Mort and Maurice.

"I just can't stand the she-devil!" Jazlene rubbed her temples.

"I don't like her either." Mort said reassuringly.

Maurice spoke up. "Look, we all disagree with her, but what can we do?"

**So, I'm very excited to be introducing a new (and one of my favorite) character in the next chapter. :D It's an OC of mine that I came up with when I wrote this about four years ago. **


	24. Falcon

**Treemist- Good guess! But Topaz will be introduced a little later on. This is an entirely new character. :) **

Chapter 24: Falcon

Jazlene sighed at Maurice's wise words. "Not much. But I feel especially sorry for Julien."

Rafa nodded. "The best thing we can do for Jules is let Mauve air out, and maybe by turkey day, everything will be in the icebox."

Maurice gave him a strange look.

"He means that we should just give Mauve some space, and hopefully by Thanksgiving, she'll be chill." Jazlene interpreted for Maurice.

Mort clapped. "Yay! I am so excited for the turkey!" :~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:

When Julien caught up with Isobel in the park, she was shooting arrows angrily into the trees and speaking aloud harshly in her language.

"Hey, Isobel." He came up behind her.

"What?" Her arrow sank into the trunk of a tree.

Julien adjusted his crown. "You know, Mauve is just a little shifty with the time change."

Isobel laughed. "That is not why. If she does not like me, then she does not like me. It is simple."

She shot into the few leaves of the trees, and she heard the arrow hit something. Something not made of bark. A sharp noise was heard, and then something heavy fell to the ground between the trees.

"Oh no." Isobel sprinted to whatever it was she had hit.

She entered the undergrowth, and saw a falcon laying sprawled out on the ground, groaning and flicking his eyelids open and closed. Isobel's arrow had his wing pinned into the ground.

She kneeled beside him, unafraid. "Falcon, stay awake." She gently opened one of his eyes and saw that he had lost consciousness, but he was certainly still breathing.

Isobel sighed. "I won't leave you, brother." She began reaching for the arrow. "Stay with me." And with a sudden motion, she ripped the arrow from the ground and from his wing. The falcon's eyes shot open and he gasped at the sudden pain.

His breath was sharp, but he turned his head to look at Isobel. "Good shot, _devochka_."

Isobel laughed. "I am glad you are not angry. But we will fix your wound. Julien, help me out." Isobel gently lifted his injured wing and set it across her shoulders as he sat up a bit.

"Ach, easy." He winced.

This falcon was obviously extraordinary. He was enormous. His wingspan was at least six feet, and already the two lemurs could tell that he was at least three feet tall when standing.

Julien backed away. "Uh, I don't know about that."

"He's hurt." Isobel told him. "And it is my fault. We have to take him back to the zoo."

"But he's as big as a fossa!" Julien protested.

Isobel gave him a look, and Julien sighed exaggeratedly. "Ugh, fine. I will help you with the killer savage hawk."

"I am a valcon, not stupeed hawk." Even in his weakened state, the falcon still felt the need to speak up for himself.

So with his massive wings draped over Julien and Isobel, the falcon was able to stagger to the zoo.

"T'ank you so much." He breathed out. "I never saw that arrow comink. It vas fast like bullet! Incredible!"

Isobel took notice of his heavy Russian accent. "I am sorry for that."

The falcon chuckled. "Do not be! This ees, minor scrape. I recover like that. What is your name, _devochka_?"

"Isobel." Isobel said.

Julien grumbled as he pushed feathers out of his face. "And I am your King Julien!"

The falcon continued talking to Isobel. "My name ees Mikhailov. I am Russian, if you could not tell already."


	25. Medical Supplies

Chapter 25: Medical Supplies

"When is your brother coming back?" Mauve demanded of Jazlene and Rafa.

"Whenever he feels like it." Jazlene mumbled.

"Steady, steady." Isobel's voice could be heard from around the lion column.

Everyone peeked their heads around to take a look.

Mauve shrieked. "What is that thing?!"

"He's a falcon." Isobel explained. "He's hurt. It's my fault."

Mauve looked to Julien. "I thought you said she was being sarcastic!"

"I was not aiming for him." Isobel said sharply. She let Mikhailov rest against the side of the column.

"My ving, it ees definitely broken. You shattered the bone with that hit. Amazing!" Mikhailov sounded more impressed than upset. Isobel guessed he was delirious with the pain and the jolt of the fall.

"He is givin' me the heebie-dee-bajeebies!" Maurice said as he kept Mort close to his side.

Jazlene was quick on her feet, and she brought Isobel a cup filled with water. Isobel began sprinkling the water on the falcon's head, and brought the cup to his beak so he could drink some.

"We're going to need medical supplies from the penguins." Isobel told Julien.

"Like what?" He asked.

"Bandages, gauze, salves, stitches…" Isobel began listing things.

"Uh, okay, I will see what the smarty penguin has." Julien rushed off to the penguins'.

:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:

When Julien arrived at the HQ, the penguins were working on little projects to put finishing touches on their place in time for their parents' arrivals.

"What is it, Ringtail?" Skipper couldn't decide where to hang his leadership award.

Julien looked around. "Well. Uhm, Isobel needs like, a lot of medical things."

"What for?" Skipper hung up his award, and then took it back down.

"She sortof kindof accidently completely by mistakenly might have broken a falcon's wing while shooting arrows." Julien said rather quickly.

That certainly got everyone's attention.

Private dropped his felt pen, Kowalski's pencil snapped in half mid-note taking, and Rico gagged up a pair of scissors.

"Aha, yes, I think I am needing those!" Julien pointed at Rico.

"She did what?" Skipper asked slowly.

"Well, you see, my step-mother is here – did not go so well – and Isobel was mad…It's such a long and funny story." Julien smiled sheepishly.

"Ugh." Skipper shook his head. "Yeah, we're gonna need to come along for this one. Rico! Gather everything we've got."

"Okay, I'm warning you." Julien cautioned. "He is terrifying! As big as a fossa!"

Skipper smirked. "I'm sure you're exaggerating, compadre. No falcon is that big."

"I swear it!" Julien nodded his head.

Skipper continued to smirk. "Uh-huh, yeah, what say you, Kowalski?"

Kowalski guffawed as he gathered up his own medical supplies. "It is impossible that any raptor capable of flight could be that monstrous. In other, non-scientific words; No way, Jose!"

Skipper nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Ringtail, you should know by now that we know just about all there is to know about birds."

"Ah, but you cannot fly, so what do you know about that?" Julien pointed out.

Skipper frowned. "Aside from that. Anyways, let's move out! We've got a brother to save."


	26. Surgical Procedure

Chapter 26: Surgical Procedure

"Stop moving your wing, Mikhailov." Isobel said softly to the falcon.

"Sorry," Mikhailov let his injured wing sprawl across the grass.

Jazlene peeked over at his wound. "Holy cow! How fast do your arrows go?"

"As fast as bullet, I tell her alvready!" Mikhailov piped up.

A smile twitched on the corner of Isobel's mouth as she pushed away his feathers from the deep wound. The raptor winced slightly at this, but he would not let any sign of his misery cross his face.

"I think I'm going to be sick" Mauve had also taken a look, but she was not so good with blood.

Ignoring Mauve, Isobel asked Mikhailov a question. "Were you flying when it hit you?"

"I vas takink off, I fly too low in the trees." Mikhailov answered. "I thought you vere done shooting. Anyvays, I heard you talking to yourself. Vhat is it you vere speaking?"

"Ta'li." Isobel replied.

A look passed over the falcon's face. "Ta'li." He breathed out.

Isobel looked to his wound and saw he was losing blood fast.

"Hoover dam, you weren't kidding, Ringtail!" Skipper said loudly.

The penguins were now in the lemur habitat, quickly approaching Isobel and Mikhailov.

Isobel turned to look at the penguins. "Quick, he needs stitches now."

"Impossible." Kowalski said as he sat beside Isobel to look closely at Mikhailov. "Could I just have three of your feathers to-"

"Kowalski." Isobel warned. "This isn't the time for a science project. Do you have aspirin?"

"Oh, right." Kowalski opened up a bottle of the painkillers for her, handing her one.

"Take this, Mikhailov." Isobel said.

Mikhailov was getting woozy, but he still had the sense to watch out for himself. "That ees not arsenic, ees it?"

Isobel raised an eyebrow at him. "If I wanted you dead, I would have done so in the park, no?"

"It is simply 2-acetoxybenzoic acid." Kowalski added helpfully. "Er, aspirin."

"Aspirin?" Mikhailov's eyes wobbled. "Give me good strong vodka, this vill do trick, not aspirin."

Isobel sighed at his stubbornness. "We don't have liquor. The aspirin will help."

Mikhailov slowly nodded his head. "Okay, devochka. I trust you."

He took the aspirin, and Isobel began snipping away at his feathers.

"He's just about out, Kowalski." Isobel looked to the scientist. "You can start removing the arrowhead splinters when you're ready."

Kowalski looked back at her, stunned. "Why me?"

"Your dad is the surgeon." Isobel reminded him. "And you know avian anatomy."

Kowalski took a deep breath. "Well, um, okay. There's, uh, a lot of blood here. So let's tie a band around the top of his wing to help cut off some circulation for just a minute."

Isobel helped him tie a thick rubber band which had been cut in half around Mikhailov's wing. Then she handed him the tweezers so he could remove the bits of arrowhead from the wound. While he did this, the brave ones looked over his shoulder to gawk. Isobel began to ready the sutures and sanitize the needle with rubbing alcohol.

When Kowalski was finished, he cut the rubber band off of the falcon's wing, and almost immediately the blood came back. Kowalski took a cloth damp with a sterile solution and thoroughly cleaned the wound.

Private covered his eyes. "I can't watch any further."

Isobel handed Kowalski the threaded needle, and he began to sew.

Soon, the 'surgery' was done. Kowalski looked on at his handiwork, utterly surprised that he had done this.

"You see, it was not so bad." Isobel smiled at him.

"Yeah." Kowalski whispered. "I guess not."

"Good work, 'Walski." Skipper clapped him on the back.

"This is one of the most traumatic things I've ever seen." Private said quietly.

Mikhailov came to for a moment, apparently just to comment on what Private said. "Ees minor scrape; I've had vorse."

Skipper nodded. "True that."

Mikhailov looked unsteadily at Isobel. "Have you looked at the clouds yet? I see…a pony. And…pengvuins. So vat. Good vor…pengvuin soup."

All of the penguins' eyes widened and they backed away slightly.

Mikhailov laughed heartily. "I keed, I keed. I vould not eat you."

And with that, he finally passed out.

"Well, we're gonna just go ahead and take off now." Skipper said as they gathered up their medical supplies.

"Let us know of his progress!" Kowalski yelled as they clambered over the wall.

They scurried off to finish preparing for their parents' arrivals.


	27. The One for Me

Chapter 27: The One for Me

Mauve came around the corner, glancing at the sleeping Mikhailov. She had scurried off the moment she heard 'stitches'. "Is it over?"

Julien looked over at her. "For him? Yeah."

Isobel's ears twitched and she looked at the shady part of the lion column. Sure enough, Topaz was leaning against it. He appeared serious but intrigued, and had not spoken a word all day. While Mauve and Julien argued over "What do you mean for _him_?", and Jazlene and Rafa tried to stop it, Isobel decided to say hello.

"Hello, Topaz." She came up to him.

And for the first time, she saw Topaz smile. He looked at her, which was slightly down, and greeted her as well. "Isobel, right?"

He had a lilt of an accent that Isobel could not place. "Everyday." She replied.

Topaz laughed lightly, his grayish eyes lit up as well. He opened his mouth to speak again, but Julien and Mauve's arguing became particularly raucous.

"How could it be my fault?" Mauve spat out. They were on a completely different topic now.

"Well it obviously wasn't my fault when you were standing in the exact spot that it broke!" Julien shouted back.

"Guys, come on!" Jazlene pleaded.

Topaz rolled his eyes and looked back to Isobel. "They do that all the time."

"I don't care for her very much." Isobel told him.

"Ah, she has her days." Topaz shrugged. "But Julien, he's the one who starts the fights."

Isobel's eyes flashed. "It doesn't seem that way."

"If I had a dime for every time you told a lie, I could buy the whole city within a week!" Julien told Mauve.

Mauve's hand fluttered over her chest, looking absolutely appalled. "I would never put out false testimony!"

"See? See? Somebody give me dime!" Julien crossed his arms.

Topaz smirked, and Isobel sighed.

"I better take this." She said.

She came up beside Julien, and gently pulled him away. "Please, just try to not argue for three more days."

"Three days?!" Julien exclaimed.

Isobel took his hands. "Please? It hurts your sister to see this."

Julien took a deep breath, calmed by her voice and her holding his hands. "Alright. I will go talk to Maurice. He understands. And plus he will not be arguing if I have to yell at him."

Isobel half-smiled. "I'm sure he misses speaking with you."

Mort suddenly appeared a few feet away from them, and began chanting, "Kiss her, kiss her-"

"Mort!" Maurice looked horrified as he pulled Mort back into the bushes. "Sorry about that, Your Majesty."

Isobel and Julien both laughed, but before she turned away, Isobel did kiss him on the side of his face. And that's when he knew, _She's the one for me. _

**This chapter was short, so I'll update soon! The penguins will be in the next chapter. **


	28. Pre-Parental Arrival Jitters

Chapter 28: Pre-Parental Arrival Jitters

The next morning, Isobel traveled to Atlantis to ask her father about having a Thanksgiving feast there for the penguins' and Julien's family. She had promised this to Skipper a while ago. However, as she passed through the city square, everything seemed emptier. Gloomy, even. She found her older friend Naomi and asked her why this was so.

"It is because you left, child." Naomi told her. "The city is no longer as exciting without you and Jack to terrorize it."

Isobel laughed lightly at her joke. "Surely no one misses that."

Naomi smiled. "But it is a good sadness. We like to watch our princess grow up and become her own person."

Isobel nodded. "I am bringing people here soon; Julien's family."

"Good." Naomi said in approval. She leaned in towards Isobel. "I like him. And he is a king, no?"

"Yes." Isobel nodded. "I wish I could speak more, but I must see my father."

"Farewell, Isobel." Naomi called as she walked away.

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The old king sighed and rubbed his temples in mock stress at his daughter's request.

"Really? You would rather be dealing with this than ruling the Eastern Kingdom?"

She knew he was joking, and she laughed. "It's not too much trouble, is it?"

"I survived raising you and Jack." The king smiled. "So relatively, no."

"Thank you." Isobel smiled as well. "_Ma'a salama_."

And with that goodbye, she left back to the zoo. There was still much to do. As she walked back, she sighed in relief. There were only three days left before everyone left. What could happen until then?

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"Can you believe it?" Private asked excitedly. "They're coming here tomorrow!"

It was now late at night, and the penguins were busy being stressed out in their HQ.

"Hold your enthusiasm there, boy." Skipper warned him. "The rest of us aren't exactly keen on the idea."

"Uh-uh." Rico shook his head.

"What if they aren't impressed by what we have?" Kowalski wondered aloud. "I can't let them down!"

Skipper clapped him on the back. "Easy, Kowalski. We've accomplished many things… Haven't we?"

"I know mum and dad will be sooo happy!" Private twirled around. "They really want to see you, Skippa."

"Oh-ho, great." Skipper rolled his eyes when Private was not looking.

Kowalski waddled around a bit. "Wait." He paused and gasped dramatically. "I forgot my parents' names!"

Skipper slapped him. "For the love of MacArthur! It's Elton and Clarissa!"

"Sorry, Skipper." Kowalski rubbed his cheek. "It's just pre-parental arrival jitters."

"Stop shaking like that." Skipper furrowed his brow. "You'll be immobilized with Charley horse. Just consult Manfredi and Johnson about that."

"Maybe I should get some shut eye." Kowalski decided. He walked over to his bunk and got in.

"All of us should." Skipper yawned. "Rico, kill the lights. Without actually killing them, please!"

"Aww." Rico lowered his sling shot disappointedly.

"Sweet dreams, everyone." Private said sleepily.

Tomorrow was a big day, but soon everyone except for Skipper drifted off. Skipper tossed and turned for quite a while before finally going into a fitful sleep. He knew something was wrong. Terribly wrong.


	29. Tragic News & A Dream

Chapter 29: Tragic News & A Dream

Back at the lemur habitat just twenty minutes earlier, Mauve was complaining once again.  
>"I have to sleep on the ground?" She had her hands on her hips.<p>

"It's like camping." Isobel said as she climbed onto the throne. "It's only for two more nights."

"It's disgusting." Mauve crossed her arms. "I refuse."

"Go ahead, sleep in a palm tree." Julien suggested.

Mauve tilted her head up to look at the tall palms. "The ground is fine."

"Okay, so shut up a little bit." Julien said under his breath.

However, Mort heard him. "He tell me that ALL the time!"

"Go to sleep, Mort." Isobel said quietly as she settled into her usual spot.

Later on into the night, Isobel awoke, a strange noise jostling her from her sleep. She lifted her head from her folded hands, and looked to the park. She climbed down from the throne. She checked on Mikhailov, who was still asleep. He had woken up briefly during the day to eat and drink, but he needed rest. Isobel grabbed her bow and arrows, and then silently slid out of the habitat.

She walked into the moonlit park, her weapon poised. The moon was waxing, nearly three quarters full. She brushed into the trees, walking silently and taking long and careful strides. She tried to steady her breathing, and as a twig snapped behind her, she held her breath. And spun around

She let it out when she saw who it was.

Jack put his hand over his heart. "You nearly killed me!"

Isobel lowered her bow, relived it was only her brother. "What is it? Why are you here so late?"

"Strange things are happening in the city." Jack told her. "Your father's illness persists. But that is not the worst of it." The ostrich feather on his hat quivered. "Isobel, the city is dying."

Isobel lowered her voice. "The crystal?" She referred to the crystal entity that hovered in the innermost chamber of Atlantis. It was powered with the spirits of elders, and it was what gave the city its life. It was also what made the healing crystals that Atlanteans wore work.

Jack nodded. "It is dimming. The scholars do not know how much longer it will last. The king has sent me to tell you that there is not enough food for a feast. The people come first."

Isobel's voice was small. "Of course." This confused her greatly. She had seen her father that same day. Surely this was serious.

Jack gave his sister a quick hug. She saw that he was tired. He was no doubt under a lot of stress. "I have to go now." Jack said. "We're going out to sea for a couple of days. Mayhaps we can catch some crab before morning. The _Conquistadora _is no fishing vessel, but there's nothing else. I want to help how I can."

Isobel nodded. "I wish you well."

Jack returned to the darkness of the forest, and Isobel bit her lip to try and prevent bursting into tears at this new sadness. She turned around to head back, and received a fright.

"Julien!" She gasped.

Julien was right there. "I heard you leave and I came to look for you and-"

Isobel couldn't stand it any longer, and she began to cry. She sank onto the grass, her hands limp in her lap as she lowered her head.

Julien kneeled in the grass and tried to look her in the face. "What's wrong? Did I do something?"

Isobel shook her head, trying to compose herself. "Jack told me that Atlantis is dying. That is why my father is not healing. If the crystal dies, so does the king."

Julien wasn't quite sure what she was talking about, but he decided he probably shouldn't ask questions. "It will be all right. I have a sense for these things. The Sky Spirits tell me so."

Isobel looked up at him. Her eyes were moist but she was still lovely. "I am just worried."

Julien nodded. "I understand this. Come on. Let's go back."

He stood up and held out his hand to her. She only stared for a moment, and then delicately reached out and let him help her up. He smiled slightly at her and she sniffed. They walked back, utterly sleepy and quiet.

:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:

_Running…loud bangs and metal scraping metal…arrows and bullets whizzing by…bird-like creatures flying low…fire and nitroglycerin doused traps…this was-_

"Skippa!" Private yelled. "Wake up! You're having a nightmare."

Skipper jolted and banged his head on the top of his bunk. "Argh. What time is it?"

"It's two thirty in the morning." Private answered quietly. "What was your nightmare about?"

Skipper breathed out. "War, young Private. In all its glorious horror."


	30. Family Reunion

Chapter 30: Family Reunion

Later on into the morning, the penguins awoke early. When they came outside, a large crate was already waiting for them.

"Skippy? Are you there?" A young girl's voice called.

Private snickered, and Skipper slapped him on the back of the head.

"I'm right here, Amy!" Skipper called.

"Private!" A woman's English accent could be heard.

"Mum!" Private brought his flippers up to his beak in excitement.

Kowalski cleared his throat. "Hey, dad! There should be a nail in the top left corner that you can unscrew."

"I think I've got it." A voice similar to Kowalski's came through.

The door to the crate came down, and for a moment, everyone just stared at each other. And then, parents were rushing out to preen their children. It was then the reunion began:

Private's mom ran up to give her son a big hug. She then smiled at her husband. "Look, James! Look at our boy."

"I see him, Juliette." James said softly. "Don't preen him too much. He's a man now!"

"Ooo, are those butterscotch lollies?" Private asked excitedly.

:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:

"Hey, Rico." Rita greeted her son casually.

"Hi, mom." Rico managed to say.

"My, my, my, what have you gotten yourself into?" Reno shook his head at his son.

Rico's eyes went wide and he shook his head. But he just couldn't help it, and he regurgitated a grenade.

"Give it here." Reno held out his flipper. "I take it this isn't your only one?"

Rico shook his head. "Nuh-uh."

:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:

"Skippy, Skippy, Skippy!" Little Amy kept chanting. She had missed her big brother, but she had missed teasing him more.

"I'm so glad we could finally see you." Skipper's mom, Olivia, smiled at her son.

"Yeah, me too, mom." Skipper said.

But he was looking at his father, Johan, who was standing off to the side, flippers behind his back, surveying. He had a stoic expression, evident of his years being in the military. He then turned his head, his steely eyes meeting Skipper's. He came up to him.

"Skipper, I see you've become a man. You've pushed this team to their limits. Outstanding work." He gave a sharp nod of approval.

"Thank you, sir." Skipper fought the urge to grin in pride. It meant so much to him to be complimented by the man he thought so highly of.

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"Kovalski! I am not believing it." Kowalski's mother, Clarissa, beamed in pride at her son. She was quite a bit shorter than he, and so she had to look up to meet her son's gaze. She had a heavy Polish accent that never left. She had teal eyes like her son, and was quite beautiful.

Kowalski smiled back down at his mother. "How's the novel coming, _mamusia_?"

"So vell." Clarissa nodded. "I am on the six-hundreeth page already."

"Intriguing." Kowalski then turned to his father. "Any particular interesting neurosurgeries?"

Elton cleared his throat. He was a slightly shy and nervous man. "Oh, well, several. I extracted a tumor the size of a golf ball from one."

"Oh, wonderful." Kowalski grimaced. He then remembered something. "I performed a field operation on a falcon."

"Did you now?" Elton looked interested. "Tell us about it."

Kowalski smiled proudly. "Alright, I'll start from the top."


	31. Once in a Blue Moon

Chapter 31: Once in a Blue Moon

"Oh my gosh… Somebody shut her up." Rafa rubbed his temples, annoyed beyond belief with his step-mother.

Mauve was complaining about having gotten a tick from sleeping on the ground. And she wasn't going to let Isobel remove it.

"It's disgusting! A tick!" Mauve kept glancing at it.

"I told you to sleep in a tree." Julien reminded her.

"Mauve, just let Isobel take it off." Jazlene was just as annoyed.

"Okay, fine." Mauve took a deep breath and held her arm out, looking away.

Isobel began heating up a sewing needle over a small fire.

"What's that for?" Mauve asked nervously.

Isobel looked at her. "I can't just rip off the tick. I have to prick it with a hot needle."

When the needle was iron-hot, Isobel approached Mauve, touching the metal point to the tick's rear. Quick as a flash, the tick backed out, and Isobel flicked it off.

"Is it gone?" Mauve asked shakily, looking down at her arm.

While the others examined where the tick had been, Isobel walked around to the side of the column to check on Mikhailov. He was awake, and he smiled broadly at Isobel.

"Have you got anytink to eat? A few mice vill do."

Isobel shook her head. "No. I can get something for you though. You won't be able to hunt for a while."

Mikhailov nodded. "Vhen is the new moon?"

Isobel thought this an odd question, but she answered anyway. "There will be one next week, perhaps."

"Oh, okay." Mikhailov looked around, standing up unsteadily. He stretched his non-injured wing, and looked sorrowfully at the other one.

"You will heal." Isobel assured him. "It just needs time."

Mikhailov grumbled something, and then nestled back down.

Isobel set off for the park to catch mice for the falcon. She returned with four, and gave them to him.

He was happy for the food, but a look passed over his face, "City mice may be fat, but they taste like vhat they eat; garbage."

Isobel smiled, then decided to ask Mikhailov a question. "What has made you such a large falcon?"

Mikhailov sighed. "Once in blue moon, a valcon of extraordinary talents ees born. And some are purely just vrom entirely different species. I am the second one."

"What are you?" Isobel asked quietly.

Mikhailov smiled mysteriously. "Vhen new moon comes, you find out. And thank you for the mice, _devochka_." He fell back asleep.

Isobel could not imagine what he had meant, but she knew she would tell no one.

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"We have to go now." Isobel whispered to Julien. It was later in the day, and Isobel had told the penguins they would come to see their families.

"Hurry, before the she-devil wakes up." Julien whispered back.

Mauve was taking a nap, claiming that the trauma of the day had exhausted her.

Julien and Isobel were going to enter the HQ through the secret tunnel. They could hear all sorts of conversations going on. Isobel took a deep breath, and knocked on the back of Private's First Prize.

"Come in!" Came Skipper's muffled voice.

They swung open the plaque, and were greeted by the stares and some smiles of thirteen penguins.


	32. Happiness Blossoms

Chapter 32: Happiness Blossoms

The greetings began, and everyone, except for Johan, swarmed around Julien and Isobel. They were excited to meet any friends of their children. Isobel smiled warmly, happy to be surrounded by so many smiling faces. She had to look down at most of them, since she was Kowalski's height, and he was abnormally tall for a penguin. She answered everyone's questions, for the moment she spoke, everyone knew she was not from around here. They peppered Julien with questions as well, but Isobel felt a special connection with Clarissa. They both spoke English as a second language, and so they instantly had something in common.

"Your eyes remind me of Poland in the spring." Clarissa smiled up at her.

Isobel smiled at the compliment. "Kowalski has your eyes."

Meanwhile, Julien was trying to keep Kowalski's dad from touching his crown. "What? Why are you wanting a piece of my royal crown?"

"Well, you see, that particular palm frond is native only to Madagascar." Elton tried to explain. "And well, when am I going to go to Madagascar?"

"Well so!" Julien held his crown down on his head, standing on his tiptoes and completely out of Elton's reach.

"Dad!" Kowalski rushed over, clearly embarrassed. "Leave our friends alone. We'll experiment later."

While Isobel continued speaking with the other penguins, mostly answering their questions about her language and such, Skipper was standing off to the side with Johan.

Johan was staring at Isobel, when he spoke up to his son. "I've seen these natives on the coastline of Madagascar."

Skipper raised his eyebrows at him. "Really?"

Johan tore his eyes away from the group to look at Skipper. "Yes. They are fearsome and hostile if you cross them. And she resembles them greatly. But there is something that distinguishes her from them."

"What?" Skipper glanced at Isobel, swallowing drily when she flashed him a smile.

"She cares for those she hardly knows." Johan told him.

Skipper nodded. "It took her some time to trust us."

Johan cleared his throat. "Let's rejoin the party. That's what we're here for, isn't it?"

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"The first one I spoke to was Kowalski." Isobel was sitting on the penguins' table. She had all of their parents enthralled with her story of how she met the penguins. "He called me 'Green Eyes'. But Skipper was the one who scared me off, yelling like a drill sergeant."

Skipper smiled and looked down as everyone laughed lightly at him. He looked back up, and Isobel smiled at him before continuing.

"Eventually, I trusted them enough to come out. And, well, what followed was a series of events that you might hear someday."

Everyone groaned at her cliffhanger, but accepted it. They would bug their sons about the real tales later.

Isobel slid off the table, looking to Julien. They knew it was time to go. They bid their goodbyes, and left the penguin's habitat.

"There are so many of them!" Isobel said, breathless.

"I know!" Julien agreed. "I am going to be seeing in black and white for weeks."

Isobel laughed, feeling happiness blossom in herself once again.


	33. The Archer

**First off, I would like to thank Treemist for being awesome and using Isobel as a guest star in her fanfic, Cute n Cuddly, which you should go and read! It's one of my favorites. And now, on to the chapter! **

Chapter 33: The Archer

"It doesn't feel like I have been here only three months." Isobel said on their way back. "It feels as though I have known all of you for years."

"Yeah." Julien agreed. His ears perked up. "Hey, tomorrow is the Thanksgiving. Party time, am I right?" He suddenly spun Isobel around in a circle like they were dancing.

Her laugh was lovely, and she looked up at the now darkening sky, her eyes reflecting the rising, full moon. Julien stopped spinning her, and they smiled at each other.

"I do not think this is that kind of celebration." Isobel said with a slight smile as they took a step away. "We feast instead."

"Oh, lame." Julien frowned. "But, what is a party without the food? So I suppose, yes, this will not be so lame after all."

Isobel nodded. "I just hope that we can gather enough food for all of us. I know this is an important holiday to the penguins."

Julien nodded as well. "Do not worry so much."

Isobel's ears twitched; something, or someone, was roaming the zoo. But she had no suspicious feeling, and so they continued back to their habitat. Once they arrived, they saw Mikhailov with _Help me _written in his eyes; Mauve was ranting about something again. Everyone else was scattered about the enclosure, trying their best to block her out. Isobel and Julien came over the wall. Suddenly, a shadow swooped through the zoo.

Mauve went silent. "What was that?"

Isobel instantly grabbed her bow and quiver, a slight smile on her face. "This should be interesting. I'll be back."

And so she went trailing after this renegade, following close enough to see him in the bright moonlight, but not so close that he would sense her. He had a tail of many rings and was no taller than Skipper. He also had a Robin Hood-esque hat on. He dodged behind the staff room building, and Isobel knew he would come out the other side. She waited against the wall at the other side, her arrow poised, silent as an egret. Finally, the stranger turned the corner. He gasped and dropped his bag. He also had a bow slung over his shoulder.

Isobel smiled, still aiming. "You're not the only one with a bow and arrow."

"Please, spare me." The raccoon's French accent sounded loose.

Isobel raised an eyebrow, but did not move otherwise. "Why should I spare someone who steals?" She would never really hurt him, but he deserved a good scare.

"Because you look like one that forgives mistakes, _mademoiselle._" The raccoon said smoothly.

Isobel's ears shifted and she lowered her bow. "I would not waste an arrow on you."

The raccoon smiled in relief. "Thank you, _merci beaucoup._"

Isobel narrowed her eyes slightly. "Who are you?"

"I am… The Archer!" The raccoon stated proudly. "The, uh, Robin Hood of New York, New York!"

"You do not look like a do-gooder." Isobel said.

"Ah, and you are no different?" The Archer touched the brim of his hat. "You are as pretty as a rose though."

Isobel stepped towards the Archer. His eyes went a little wide. She knew he was afraid. She was taller than he and also armed. But he could not resist being smart.

"I am not even so sure you know how to use that." He gestured to her bow.

"Oh?" Isobel questioned him. "I am from a long line of warriors. If you do not believe me, I can indeed prove that I am who I say I am."

The Archer crossed his arms, looking smug. "Go ahead and prove yourself, _petit mademoiselle_."


	34. Much Proven

Chapter 34: Much Proven

"Well, what should I do?" Isobel peered down at the raccoon with her green eyes.

The Archer shrugged. "Anything, really."

Isobel looked around, and her eyes landed in the park. "Let's go shooting."

The Archer laughed. "I feel you are stalling!"

But she certainly was not. She had an idea up her sleeve.

The raccoon trotted to keep up with her. "By the way, you can call me Archie. And you?"

"Isobel."

They reached the park, and Isobel removed an arrow from her quiver. "So, Archie, when you said anything, did you mean that?"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Well, yes. What, are you simply going to shoot at the trees?"

Isobel smiled. "No. I'm going to shoot your hat off your head."

The Archer gulped, but he didn't want her to think he was nervous. "Ha! Fine. I could have a good laugh. This will prove _plus _interesting."

"Go, and stand between the trees." Isobel pointed with her bow.

Archie walked a fair distance off, standing where the moonlight struck him just so. "Is this close enough?" He shouted sarcastically.

"Perfect." Isobel nocked her arrow. She took a deep breath, and with her exhale, she let the arrow fly.

The arrow whizzed through the crisp air, and within a second, Archie's hat was pinned to the ground behind him. His mouth was agape as he looked back at it, and then he whipped back around to Isobel.

"That was a cheap shot!" He said angrily.

Isobel laughed as she sauntered up to him. "Or was it so impressive and quick that it appeared 'cheap' to your eyes?"

Archie looked taken aback, and then he smiled. "Fine. You are very good, no?"

"Well, I suppose that proves it." Isobel replied as she retrieved her arrow and returned the Archer's hat. "I must go now. Continue with your raid of the staff room."

"Wait!" Archie said. "I am so very impressed. You must teach me."

Isobel turned to him. "Teach you?"

"Yes." Archie nodded. "I am not so good myself."

Isobel considered it. She supposed it could be fun to practice with someone. "Alright. We will meet here again soon."

The Archer smiled, satisfied with that. "Then I shall bid you adieu!"

They parted ways, and on the way back to the zoo, Isobel looked to the moon. She thought of Mikhailov, and what he had said about the new moon. She was eager to find out his secret.

:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:

"You've been gone for an entire hour." Mauve was back to being queen bee when Isobel returned. "You said you'd be right back."

"I was dealing with the local wildlife." Isobel brushed past her.

She shivered with the sudden cold, and saw that most of the others were huddled up to keep warm. Her eyes passed over the bunch and they landed on Topaz's eyes. He looked away, bringing his hands to his eyes to rub sleep out of them. Isobel swept her eyes to where she usually made a fire, and began to make another to warm everyone up.

Jazlene perked up at the sight of this. "Can we make smores?"


	35. Small Steps

**So, I've been thinking for a while about doing a spin off of my story. Like just a separate, non-related story that still has some of my OCs (I even once thought about doing a Pocahontas one!). But yeah, any ideas for something like that in case I do? **

Chapter 35: Small Steps

Much to Jazlene's disappointment, there were no smores to be had. Soon, as the hour grew later and the smoke from the little fire began to make everyone sleepy, Rafa, Mauve, Jazlene, and Topaz headed off to their sleeping places.

"I'll be back." Isobel said to Julien as she went to say goodnight to Mikhailov.

"_Privet_, Aysobel." Mikhailov could not say her name right, but Isobel did not mind. "Tomorrow, I get up, regain my strength. It ees not right, a falcon on the ground."

"Take small steps, Mikhailov." Isobel reminded him. "Your stitches can come out in a couple of days."

Mikhailov nodded. "Goodnight, Aysobel."

Isobel walked back over to Julien. She saw Maurice and Mort heading over to the bouncy to sleep as well. She sat beside him. He looked up from the fire to glance at her, and then up at the sky. Suddenly, he smiled.

"The Sky Spirits have been speaking with me again. But now they are saying too much."

Isobel looked to him, clearly interested. "What are they saying?"

Julien wanted to choose his words carefully, and not be too specific. "They have been saying many things. That I have been making them happy."

Isobel leaned back. "This is good."

Julien looked to her, watching the fire dance around in her eyes, making them golden.

"I know that I am close to where I am supposed to be." Isobel said. "I can feel my grandmother's spirit."

Julien's ears pricked up. "Close? You are not there yet?"

"I'm on my way." Isobel replied softly. "I just hope the penguins keep their promise."

Julien nodded. "So, uh, what is this 'local wildlife' you were speaking of?"

Isobel smiled. "The Archer, as he called himself. I impressed him with my own archery, and now he wants me to teach him more."

"But why? He is already quite good." Julien examined his right hand subconsciously.

"He wishes to know more." Isobel shrugged.

A brief silence followed. There were no more crickets to fill the night; they had left with the fireflies. The next day would be Thanksgiving, and Isobel hoped there would be enough for everyone.

Isobel yawned, the long day taking over. "Are you tired?" She asked Julien.

"Hmm?" Julien opened one eye.

Isobel laughed quietly. "So am I."

A few moments later, Julien looked over to the bouncy. It seemed far away. "I don't want to get up."

Isobel hadn't heard; she was already asleep.

Julien sighed and closed his eyes. Tomorrow would go by quickly, and then things would return to normal, once Mauve and the others were gone.

**Very short chapter, but the next one is the Thanksgiving Day chapter! Well, the next few chapters make up the whole Thanksgiving thing. Remember to review! **


	36. Gifts

Chapter 36: Gifts

Later on into the night, at about one or two in the morning, the fire died out.

Mort twitched in his sleep, dreaming of mangoes.

Julien's head tilted in his sleep, and landed on top of Isobel's, curling her head onto his shoulder. When he inhaled and sniffed her floral scent, he jerked his head up, waking himself up. He wiped his right eye and saw that it was Isobel. He looked around for a moment, and then put his head back where it was.

:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:

Very early the same morning, before the sun had even risen, Isobel awoke. She felt Julien's head on top of hers, and she carefully moved away so as not to wake him up. She stretched her arms and neck, as she was stiff, and then shivered at the morning cold. There was fog all about, but not so thick that she couldn't see the trees of the park. She squinted at the trees, and saw that there was someone in the top branches, waving something. She stood up and trotted over to wall of the habitat. She climbed up that and then stood atop the wall. Then, she was able to see that it was Jack, waving his sword around like mad. He must have been trying to signal her. Isobel could not tell if it was good new or bad news, but none the less she rushed to the park as quickly as she could, leaving behind her bow and arrows.

When she reached the tree she had seen her brother in, she looked up into the branches.

"Jack!" She called. "Jack, what is it?"

Jack instantly scurried down the tree, sheathing his sword. He was obviously out of breath as he had no doubt sprinted all the way from Atlantis, and he doubled over for a moment, hands on his knees.

"Jack." Isobel was worried now as she put her hand son her brother's shoulders. "What has happened?"

Jack stretched back up, a big smile on his face.

Isobel crinkled her eyebrows, confused. Was this good news or bad news?

"Isobel." Jack finally caught his breath. "The king... he has sent me to bring gifts."

"Gifts?" Isobel asked. "But the city, it is starving."

Jack shook his head, nearly laughing. "Not today, sister dear! The _Conquistadora _was successful as the sea was blessedly bountiful. Also, the groves and orchards have been, well, fruitful. We have more than enough for feasting and for storing, for at least a little while. And so we are bringing you some of the harvest."

He brought his fingers to his mouth and whistled loudly. And from out of the misty came five Atlantean women with baskets full of food. They balanced them on their heads or on their hips, and had big smiles on their faces as they approached their princess.

Isobel smiled back, overjoyed at this good news.

Jack reached behind the tree to grab a basket full of papayas, red grapes, and pomegranates. He handed it over to his sister, and slung a bag full of crustaceans over his shoulder.

"Come on," he told her, "Let's give these New Yorkers a taste of Atlantis."

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When Julien awoke as the sun began to rise, he saw that Isobel was not there. At first he thought nothing of it, and then he began to worry because of what she had told him about Atlantis' current state. He decided that she was probably in the park, like usual, and so he made his way through the zoo towards there. But when he was just outside the gates of the zoo, he saw a lone figure appear from the mist; it was Isobel. She was holding an overflowing basket on top of her head, smiling broadly and walking gracefully. She looked lovely as the rising sun captured her earrings, eyes, and fur. Julien was awestruck. He then saw that Jack followed her closely, who was then trailed by a small caravan of women who also carried overflowing baskets. He was perplexed by all of this.

Isobel approached him, still smiling. "Good morning."

"Hey." Julien said. He looked over at everyone else. Jack tipped his hat to him, and the Atlantean women waved and giggled at him, whispering amongst themselves. "What's all this for?"

"They're gifts." Isobel explained as she shifted the basket so she only had to hold it with one hand. "Atlantis is bountiful today, and they wish to share it."

"Hmm." Julien pondered this. "I am accepting of these gifts! Come, we must bring it all to the penguins."

Isobel smiled at him and began to walk past him. He began to turn around to join her, but he looked back at the women again and they started laughing at him, saying things loudly to Isobel in Atlantean. Isobel laughed as well and rolled her eyes at them after she responded.

"Wait!" Julien asked Isobel as he caught up to her. "Why are they laughing at me? What did they say? How dare they!"

Isobel laughed again, holding her basket with both hands again. "They were telling me how handsome they think you are."

Julien paused for a moment. "Oh really? Well that is- Wait! Then why were _you _laughing?"

Isobel only smiled mysteriously as she continued on.

They carefully brought their belongings into the still quiet zoo, planning on entering the penguin's HQ through the secret tunnel.

Julien flung open the fish plaque, and announced, "We are here, with gifts from the king of Atlantis! Bestowed upon you by, well, me."

"Us." Isobel corrected him as she carefully lowered her basket to the ground and then jumped after it.

Skipper, Kowalski, Skipper's sister Amy, and their parents had been sitting at the table. They turned to look open mouthed at the eight lemurs parading into their habitat, all but Julien carrying some form of food.

Jack laid his burlap sack on the table, and then cracked his back. "Three different types of ocean crab in there, weighs a ton o' bricks!"

"Atlantean crab?" Kowalski asked curiously as he walked around to the other side of the table. He poked the bag with his pencil, and it moved in several places.

"Ah, no, Kowalski." Jack told him. "Just your usual. The spindly ones are dodgy, let me tell you."

Right then, a said spindly crab escaped from the sack, crawling on the table. It quickly slipped off, but not before giving Amy a fright. She screamed so loud it woke up Private, Rico, and their families.

Jack unsheathed his sword. "Gotcha, ya blighter!" He skewered the crab, and then placed it back in the sack. "Well, you won't get any more trouble from that one."

Skipper took a sip of his coffee, and grumbled, "It is too early for this."

And then Isobel set her basket of fruits in front of the grimy bag of ocean dwellers. It was a much more lovely sight. And not just because of the shining fruit.

Isobel looked up at Skipper and smiled. He smiled back a bit, and then drank more coffee, stirring it with his usual kipper.

"Good morning, Isobel." Skipper's mom smiled at her.

And then everyone began to share the proper greetings.

Skipper then noticed the others, who were laying down their baskets here and there.

"Who are they?" He asked Isobel.

"Atlantean women." Isobel explained. "The daughters of merchants and fishermen. Jack asked them to help carry the gifts here."

Skipper nodded. He noticed they were a touch taller than Isobel, closer to Julien's height. And they also had either dark brown or crystal blue eyes. They all had the same deep, dusty brown fur. They were lovely, but looked nothing like Isobel. Then again, Isobel was not Atlantean. Then Skipper noticed how giggled quietly and whispered whenever Julien's back was turned.

"What's all that about?" Skipper smiled as he asked Isobel.

Isobel smiled, waving them off. "They have been teasing him since we left the park."

"Oh." Skipper laughed and nodded as he downed the last of his coffee.

**Author's Notes: Crazy long chapter! I just had a lot to write for this one. I'll try to update soon, and please review! :) **


	37. Feasting

**So sorry it's taken so long to update. This week has been a mess and I'm not feeling so well. But, no worries, the story will go on. On to the chapter! **

Chapter 37: Feasting

Later on into the day, the feasting began. Everyone had helped in setting the table in the HQ, and preparing the various goods from Atlantis in appealing ways. Jack and the Atlantean women had left to join the festivities in their own city.

Mort, Maurice, and the rest of Julien's family had come to the HQ. Mauve, not surprisingly, looked completely unimpressed. Jazlene was very excited and gave each of the penguins a hug before circling the table numerous times to examine all of the excellent food they had.

Johan cupped his flippers over his beak. "Everyone! Go ahead and take a seat! We're going to start now."

Everyone crowded the table, making sure they were sitting next to their favorite. Julien sat at the end of the table, and Skipper sat at the opposite end. In a way, Skipper was in charge of all the penguins there, and Julien was in charge of the lemurs, so this seemed fitting. Isobel sat to Julien's right, and Jazlene to his left. Skipper's father sat to his right, and Kowalski's dad sat to his left. And from there, everyone else fell into place.

They all looked down at their empty plates, eager to fill them up.

Isobel looked around, happy to see Jazlene's and Private's big smiles. They were the most innocent out of the groups, and it made her smile to see them content. She then began eyeing the food, her heart swelling with nostalgia as she saw the Atlantean delicacies that flooded the table: Seven Treasures seafood dish from Canton; skewered, spicy shrimps; exotic fruits like kiwis, pomegranates, and dragonfruit; beds of fragrant jasmine rice; mounds of betel nuts for digestion; and so much more.

"This is making me homesick, your Majesty." Maurice whispered across the table to his king.

Julien nodded. "Yes, Maurice. But do not be sad! We have a home right here for now."

He smiled at his siblings, so glad that they could be here.

Skipper cleared his throat, and stood up on his chair so everyone could see him over the mounds of food. He cleared his throat again. "Attention!"

Private giggled at him. "Skippah, we're not in military school! It's Thanksgiving."

"Right." Skipper looked up and started over. He was not quite sure how to get a crowd's attention without saying, well, "attention". "Friends and family!"

Now everyone stopped their chatter to look up at Skipper. There were patient smiles on their faces. He swallowed and looked at Isobel, who smiled in encouragement at him.

Skipper looked to everyone and resumed his speech. "This has been a…mixed reunion."

Jazlene, Rafa, and Julien shot glances towards Mauve.

"But I would not ask for a different one." Skipper continued. "True, we were all anxious about our parents visiting us and seeing how we really live. But it turns out that we had nothing to be worried about from the start."

He looked down to his mother, who smiled at him, and then he looked to his father, who nodded in approval.

"But, anyways, enough with all this mush!" Skipper chuckled, "I can see I'm making Rico and Rita sick."

Everyone looked over to the mother and son, who were trying not to retch. They all laughed and clapped for Skipper.

Kowalski's dad clinked his flute glass, and stood up as well, overcoming his shyness. "Now, let us all give thanks!"

And so everyone, even Johan, took their turns saying at least one thing they were thankful for. Private was thankful that he was finally able to visit with his mum and dad; Jazlene was thankful to be with her other big brother, Julien; Kowalski was thankful that he had had a year of (nearly) successful inventions; and Isobel was thankful for having found true friends.

Afterwards, they all dug in. There was plenty of food, and they had all day to eat as much as they wanted. Luckily, it was a joyous occasion, with constant conversations and pauses for one person to tell a story to everyone. Even Mauve seemed a little less high strung, and her complaints were minimal.

Evening began creeping around, and Isobel and Private began to light the candles that Jack had brought earlier that morning. It was Atlantean tradition to eat the final half of the feast by candlelight. They set the candles down the middle of the table and on empty shelves. Soon, the HQ smelt slightly perfumed, like sandalwood and jasmine.

Isobel went back to sit by Julien, who was poking at some soft-shell crab. He looked up at her and smiled. "You are looking very lovely in this lighting."

Isobel smiled back. It was true, the candlelight softened everyone's features, and it made everything mellower.

The sun had not yet fully set, and Skipper came around to the lemurs' side of the table. He stood between Isobel and Julien. He leaned down and said to them, "Hey, me and the boys were going to head out on patrol; want to come?"

"Yes." Isobel nodded and stood up.

Julien shoveled the rest of his food into his mouth and quickly stood up, not wanting to get left behind.

And then, without much notice, the four penguins and two lemurs were out into the evening.


End file.
